Hi, kids!

It’s time once again to turn a jaundiced eye toward the news and newsmakers of the day who, in my cynical opinion, either contributed to our quality of life or detracted from it in some significant way…

Volusia County Council – A Confederacy of Cowards

“Self-interest lies behind all that men do, forming the important motive for all their actions; this rule has never deceived me…”

–Marquis de Sade

Once again, that tormented degenerate was proven right… 

On Tuesday, when Volusia officials were faced with a critical decision on the most galvanizing issue of our time – ultimately, their own self-interests prevailed. 

And future generations lost…  

I didn’t think it possible, but this week our elected officials did what they do best and kicked an issue that has now labeled the “Fun Coast” as the most flood-prone region in the state (seventh in the nation) even further down the dusty political trail when they did absolutely nothing of substance to address development-induced inundation across the width and breadth of Volusia County.

From political insulation committees and additional costly (and useless) studies to Jake Johansson’s condescending lectures, Troy Kent’s exhausting overexuberance, and David Santiagos political mini-moves – the special meeting to discuss a tap of the brakes on the malignant sprawl that is destroying the quality of life of taxpayers devolved into another exercise in strategic procrastination.  

That farce proved that, in Volusia County, you get what you pay for…

During this week’s well-choreographed waste of time, Councilman Kent was right when he described the positions on the dais of power as “rented seats” – because it is now painfully clear that the loyalties of those who occupy them have been bought and paid for by influential insiders – and a building moratorium was dead on arrival.

It was frustrating watching anguished residents approach the podium and plead for their very lives before that phalanx of deaf ears – those stone-faced gargoyles who ignore their constituents while relying on a demonstrably incompetent senior staff to tell them what they want to hear – using bureaucratese and double-talk to explain all the reasons why the elected body can’t protect existing residents from flooding. 

So, we get more of the same. 

More studies equal paralysis by analysis – taking existing studies and combining the separate pieces into one, then taking the comprehensive study and breaking it down into separate pieces – establishing impressive sounding “Czars” and do-nothing “subcommittees” that spread the political liability.

It’s a proven strategy for buying time.

Maybe next month someone will suggest another “Blue Ribbon Committee” – little more than a stationary bicycle that politicians use to burn the energy and enthusiasm out of engaged citizens working for change – anything that will put distance between Tuesday and the next “100 year” rain event…  

There was talk of cleaning canals (they don’t already do that?), purchasing the perennially flooded homes and properties of their repeat victims, “collaborating with the cities,” quibbling the definition of “wetlands,” yapping about more retention ponds, and “beginning a discussion” about the impacts of those massive sticks-and-glue apartment units that now blanket many areas of Volusia County in some sick post factum navel-gazing exercise.

There was hot air generated over the importance of establishing “relationships” with the St. Johns River Water Management District – a discredited “regulatory” agency that for years was operated like a Turkish bazaar by a former chairman – a cheap fixer who destroyed the public’s trust in the organization for a hundred years, facilitated the destruction of wetlands and wildlife habitat that were churned into muck, and permitted those who paid to play to turn natural places into moonscapes in an atmosphere where the fox ran the henhouse, ends justified the means, and the almighty dollar reigned supreme… 

Bullshit.

At the end of the day, Chairman Jeff Brower was the only one who supported a moratorium – a temporary means of limiting further harm by asking developers to stop shoving ten pounds of shit into a five-pound bag until already identified (but long-shelved) solutions could be implemented. 

That’s right, they’ve known about these “exciting solutions” for years.  In truth, various iterations of the Volusia County Council and their senior staff have been putting off Low Impact Development regulations for decades.

For instance, here’s a “Low Impact Development” dog and pony show Volusia’s Director of Growth and Resource Mismanagement Clay Ervin wasted our time with in 2018 https://tinyurl.com/482t2err remember? 

Sure you do, it contained this knee-slapper from 13-years ago:

“Now, more than ever, it is important to balance environmental and economic considerations in our daily operations. A sustainable future for Volusia County, and our entire region, will be based on solutions that include environmental, economic and social considerations.”

–Volusia County Council, 2012

(Sorry, I always get a hoot out of that one! “Balance.” That’s funny.)

I expect we’ll see this gem dusted off and trotted out again next month… 

For his trouble, Brower was (once again) publicly neutered by his cowardly and self-serving “colleagues” who clearly got marching orders from their overlords ahead of any discussion of the “M” word.

I thought it was magnanimous of Councilman Kent to “thank” Chairman Brower for taking his latest beatdown on the seminal issue of his campaign and accepting the ultimate outcome without an awkward fuss when he said, “Thanks for bringing this to the forefront because now there’s action and change, and a huge part of it is because of what you did.”

My God.

As Churchill said, “Tact is the ability to tell someone to shove that stupid idea up their ass in such a way that they look forward to the experience” or something like that…

The final humiliation of Brower and his supporters came when the tag team of Jake the Snake Johansson and David “No Show” Santiago made certain that any suggestion Brower may have had (to end fill-and-build development) was lost to mere lip service – ensuring that substantive solutions to development-induced flooding will languish in the bureaucratic ether for years…  

Now, we’re all victims.

In my view, Volusia County voters owe it to our grandchildren – who will ultimately suffer from the spinelessness we witnessed on Tuesday – to disrupt this cycle of pernicious procrastination in the face of crisis, and elect those with the courage to place the suffering and financial devastation of many over the greed-crazed motives of a few…

Priorities?

One of the things I enjoy about this blog site is helping readers (my neighbors) navigate the byzantine maze of (insert local government here), finding answers to often benign questions that their elected official or city/county manager could have explained in two-minutes but won’t.  

Sometimes I just commiserate with those at their wits end. 

One day I might set myself up a kiosk outside the Thomas C. Kelly Administration Building in DeLand, or at various City Halls, put out two rocking chairs, and just listen to people vent.

Hearing the similarity of issues faced by residents causes me to question how those who grovel for our vote each election season can so easily shed their skin and become someone completely different when taking their seat on the dais of power. 

A lycanthropic transformation from a civically engaged neighbor with a fire in the belly, to a malleable finger-puppet with goals and priorities that suddenly don’t align with those of their longsuffering constituents…    

A symptom of that conversion is when an elected body collectively decides they no longer need the input or participation of those who pay the bills.  Enacting ludicrous “rules” limiting public comment with arbitrary diktats, claiming the “efficiency” of meetings is more important that citizen involvement in the policymaking process, then setting nonsensical and redundant urgencies that have nothing to do with community needs. 

Case in point, recently the City of Daytona Beach floated the idea of developing a $185 million “sports complex” on city owned property near the foundering First Step Shelter – a project billed as the next greatest economic driver since Daytona International Speedway was built 65-years ago…

In an informative article in December 2024, The Daytona Beach News-Journal reported “If the facility does come to be, the hope is Daytona Beach would become home to more than 100 sports tournaments each year – everything from basketball to gymnastics to baseball. Concerts could even be held on the property.”

Not to be outdone, last week, the Volusia County Council kicked around the idea of putting its own $39 million sports complex on county owned land off Veteran’s Memorial Parkway in Orange City. 

Some members of the County Council said they want their complex to be an “economic driver” too… 

By saturating the market with publicly funded venues? 

According to reports, the proposed facility in Wild West Volusia would include eight multipurpose artificial turf fields, four rectangular natural fields, five restroom buildings, an 800-space parking lot, and the possibility of a BMX track and dog park. 

Per usual, no funding source has been identified for either proposal (which should send a shudder through the lower bowels of Volusia County taxpayers) with both Daytona Beach and Volusia County suggesting a “public-private partnership,” which around these parts historically means using tax dollars to eliminate risk and underwrite the profit motives of a well-connected private entity…

When you add the still simmering suggestion brought by Volusia County Councilman Don Dempsey to build a “state of the art” motocross track on yet to be determined county property – a project the county’s consultant estimated will cost $10.2 million in 2024 dollars – you begin to wonder if anyone in local government reads the newspaper, or understands the importance of keeping government the hell out of a free marketplace?    

Including the highly competitive sports entertainment industry.

For those keeping score, these pie-in-the-sky projects total a potential cost of $234.2 million for dueling sports complexes and a motocross facility at a time when Volusia County residents are pleading for flood relief, transportation infrastructure, utilities improvements, water quality and environmental protections, and other incredibly expensive upgrades to keep pace with explosive growth.   

I find it strange that money never seems to be a concern when it comes to “nice to haves.” 

But when elected officials are tasked with tightening their belt and funding needed infrastructure projects, We, The Little People have been conditioned to accept interminable delays, decades-long wait times, and massive cost overruns, while generations of bureaucrat’s slog through design, engineering, right-of-way acquisition, construction, etc., etc. – while the clock ticks and the bulldozers roar…       

County Manager George “The Wreck” Recktenwald and County Attorney Mike Dyer

“The Volusia County manager and county attorney each received a 5% percent raise, opposed only by County Chairman Jeff Brower.

The County Council voted 6-1 to approve the raises during the performance review for both people. The council has authority over both the county attorney and the county manager positions.

County Manager George Recktenwald’s salary is increasing from about $259,041 to about $271,993. County Attorney Mike Dyer’s salary is going from about $242,138 to about $254,245.

Recktenwald and Dyer received mostly glowing reviews from the County Council on all counts. Brower offered a few criticisms, though.

Brower said while Dyer focuses on protecting the county from lawsuits, he’d like to see Dyer be more aggressive on protecting the property rights of constituents. He also said it feels like Dyer works against him sometimes.

“I would like to see you work as hard with me on items that I personally place on the agenda as chair as you do for any other item,” Brower said.”

–Reporter Sheldon Gardner, writing in The Daytona Beach News-Journal, Friday, January 10, 2025

As Volusia County stumbles into a new year some things never change.

Namely the continued protection and proliferation of an ineffectual and grotesquely bloated bureaucracy facilitated by complicit senior administrators who have dedicated their lackluster careers to preserving the status quo. 

In exchange for controlling the narrative and ensuring the public teat remains patent for all the right last names – those we have elected to represent our interests reward senior administrators with bizarre accolades – while stuffing even more of our hard-earned money into their already deep pockets. 

Don’t take my word for it. 

Despite a massive influx of federal relief funds – and the widespread protest of anxious residents whose lives have been repeatedly upended by development-induced flooding and the disastrous impacts of malignant sprawl – point your finger at one substantive thing County Manager George “The Wreck” Recktenwald or County Attorney Mike Dyer have accomplished in the public interest since their last pay increase a year ago?   

I’ll wait…

Regardless, with the exception of their punching bag Chairman Jeff Brower, like clockwork, last week the majority of the Volusia County Council ignored the myriad issues facing their constituents (and many county employees) and gifted both Recktenwald and Dyer another 5% pay increase without any performance metrics, suggestions for improvement, or admonishment for the visionless stagnation by senior department heads that got us into this intractable mess in the first place.

Most disturbing, during his legitimate criticism of Recktenwald and Dyer (the best attorney real estate and fuel terminal developers have ever had), Chairman Brower divulged that “…he’s noticed a culture among some staff “where the victims of our flooding have become the enemies.” He said he hears things said about people that are out of line.

He said people need to be treated with respect and care.

“I’m detecting that sometimes that’s not happening, and they’re actually being blamed,” Brower said.”

You read that right.  

In my view, this best illustrates the “Us vs. Them” philosophy that permeates the Ivory Tower of Power in DeLand – a place where those who accept public funds to serve in the public interest instead flippantly mock, blame, and disrespect citizens who suffer because of their ineptitude. 

With this disturbing behind-the-scenes insight now public, if Recktenwald refuses to clean house and start over, engaging senior officials who won’t demonize flood victims, then he must resign without severance.  

Add to that a County Attorney who has ingratiated himself with Volusia’s “Old Guard” by interpreting the law in a manner that thwarts every initiative put forth by Chairman Brower – heartless marionettes who would rather see your property and mine flood than admit Brower is right – and you see how desperate things have gotten under Recktenwald’s laissez-faire administration.     

Perhaps the most tone-deaf moment of the well-choreographed meeting was when At-large Councilman Jake Johansson, an announced candidate for Florida Senate, “…pointed out that Recktenwald makes less than Daytona Beach City Manager Deric Feacher ― a difference of about $32,863.

“It amazes me that Daytona Beach’s city manager makes that much more than our county manager does … Boy, that’s a lot of money for Daytona Beach. They do a lot, I understand. But it’s interesting to me.”

Wow.

What I find “interesting” is how Mr. Johannson prioritizes the allocation of our tax dollars…

In his backhanded swipe at the City of Daytona Beach, Jake the Snake exposed himself for who and what he represents – a haughty commitment to the arrogance of size and status that would have him pay a foot-dragging sluggard more than he is worth – simply to outpace another local government. 

In my view, that misplaced loyalty is not what we need representing Volusia County in Tallahassee… 

Quote of the Week

“Citing “aggressive and inappropriate” behavior with staff, the City of Palm Coast fired its utility director, Amanda Rees, in November, after just five months on the job. In a Dec. 4, 2024, letter, Rees defended herself to the City Council, saying the real reason for being fired is that she was bringing too many uncomfortable truths — about the wastewater treatment plants being overcapacity and growth’s failure to pay for itself — to city leadership.

The city, which has a standard six-month probationary period for new employees and so could fire Rees without cause if desired, responded this way: “While we understand that job separations can be emotional, it’s not uncommon for individuals to express their frustration in ways that paint a negative picture. The claims made in the letter are either untrue or misrepresented and do not accurately reflect the City’s operations or values. The City is committed to professionalism, fairness, and transparency in all employment matters.”

Rees indicated in her letter that city leadership suppressed her plans to correct the consequences of overdevelopment.

Acting City Manager Lauren Johnston told the Observer that staff does have a plan. In the coming weeks, city staff will present a Utility Action Plan to the City Council in response to the consent decree issued by the Florida Department Environmental Protection.

The city is in the final stages of expanding capacity at Wastewater Treatment Plant 2 from 2 million gallons per day to 4 million. That will enable the city to divert .5 million gallons per day to Plant 2 from Wastewater Treatment Plant 1, which is frequently near 100% capacity. The plan will give some relief to the system — but not enough relief yet to satisfy the state. To fully comply, the City Council will need to figure out how to fund more than $200 million for Wastewater Treatment Plant 3 — and build it by 2028.”

–Publisher Brian McMillan, Palm Coast Observer, “Fired director tells Palm Coast City Council that city ‘overpromised’ to developers,” Tuesday, January 14, 2025

Something stinks in Palm Coast.  Probably an overloaded wastewater plant…   

Last month, in a shocking letter to the Palm Coast City Council, now terminated utilities director Amanda Rees said the quiet part aloud: The city’s growth rate is quickly surpassing its water and sewer capacity – and the administration’s fear-fueled mantra “Growth pays for Growth” – is a damnable lie… 

Apparently, speaking truth to power is frowned upon at Palm Coast City Hall, where Acting City Manager Lauren Johnston prefers to paint a rosier picture of growth mismanagement, even after the Florida Department of Environmental Protection slapped the municipality with a consent decree requiring the expansion of its stressed wastewater utility – a project estimated to cost $200 million (most of that coming from rate increases for existing residents) – while the city continues to push full steam ahead with its asinine “westward expansion.”

In her November 23, 2024, letter to City Council members, Ms. Rees explained her reticence to sign the order:

“When we received the Consent Decree from FDEP, I reviewed the document. I had concerns about signing two clauses in the document because it threatened my imprisonment for what I could understand was stating that the City of Palm Coast did not in the past or would not in the duration of the consent decree use sewer rates to pay for any other projects that were not capacity related. Since I had been made aware in budget meetings that the council had approved a loan that transferred money from the Utility Enterprise fund to the General fund to pay for a road, I was concerned about signing the document.”

Can’t say I blame her. 

I wouldn’t want to go to jail for how mercenary elected officials shuffle money around during a period of hyperaggressive growth either…    

In my experience, a consent order would normally be signed by either the Mayor or Acting City Manager, so why would a department head (read: scapegoat) be asked to enter an agreement between the City of Palm Coast and FDEP involving hundreds-of-millions in capacity-related upgrades?    

(That said, I do think from this point forward – all allocations of public funds or legislative actions should come with a similar imprisonment clause.  One that ensures any Florida elected official who lies or quibbles the facts with constituents will be placed in stocks in the town square and given the Bastinado treatment…)

In addition, Ms. Rees wrote that when she explained a plan to Councilwoman Theresa Pontieri that would have developers pay for Pretreatment Effluent Pumping systems for new homes – something Rees believed would save the City of Palm Coast $30 million over the next five years – she received pushback from senior staff who apparently disagreed with her proposal (?).    

According to former director Rees, “This was one of my ideas to help the City with the rapid growth they were experiencing. After this meeting, my boss, Lauren Johnston, Acting City Manager, told me they had worked very hard to gain Councilwoman Theresa Pontieri’s trust over the years and implied that I was threatening it, by proposing solution to problems. This idea was quickly silenced, and we never discussed it again.”

Whoa.

Find Ms. Rees’ letter here: https://tinyurl.com/bdee5xhx

According to a January 8 report by FlaglerLive!, we learned of Palm Coast’s response to Ms. Rees’ serious allegations:

“The city consequently downplayed the letter’s claims in a statement issued today. “While we understand that job separations can be emotional, it’s not uncommon for individuals to express their frustration in ways that paint a negative picture,” the statement reads.

“The claims made in the letter are either untrue or misrepresented and do not accurately reflect the City’s operations or values. The City is committed to professionalism, fairness, and transparency in all employment matters. This letter reflects one person’s perspective and does not represent the dedication and integrity of our team or the work we do for the community.”

Nevertheless the statement downplays the city’s own response to the letter, which it has taken seriously, according to City Council member Theresa Pontieri–the only council member Reese singled out–even if not as a whistleblower action. “We’re looking into everything and taking seriously everything she put into her letter,” Pontieri said today.”

Every taxpayer of Palm Coast should find this disturbing.    

Time will tell how “seriously” the city’s elected watchdogs take the information provided by a former senior director with nothing else to lose… 

Here on Florida’s “Fun Coast,” far too often those with the courage to speak out and blow the whistle on mismanagement and maladministration in government and publicly funded services are quickly maligned as misfits and malcontents, a level of insulation that works to protect the status quo and those who benefit from it. 

Let’s hope the Palm Coast City Council takes a deep dive into Ms. Rees’ unique insights into the true cost of overdevelopment and current/future capacity issues – and her compelling allegations of retaliation for challenging the motives of those in power.   

And Another Thing!

Whenever government officials are caught with their thumbs in their backsides during a crisis, the universal dodge is, “Now is not the time for finger pointing…”

Yes, it is. 

In my view, as residents demand action on the growing disaster of development-induced flooding, it is time for senior officials in Volusia County government and elsewhere to own their failures on growth management, to look their waterlogged constituents in the eye and begin the difficult conversations, establish responsibility going forward, and find the right talent and experience to retroactively deal with our manmade stormwater emergency.

Allowing those who have been polishing the same wingback chairs in government offices for decades – so-called “professionals” who either knew or should have known the consequences of explosive growth without adequate infrastructure or engineering – to have any role going forward is the very definition of insanity.    

Yet that is exactly what the Volusia County Council did on Tuesday…

This week proved to be an eyeopener for many Volusia County residents who hadn’t realized just how dreadful things have gotten for many of their neighbors whose homes have been repeatedly inundated with development-induced flooding – and how indebted some of their elected officials are to those influential insiders who control the rods and strings of government here on the “Fun Coast.” 

In short, we learned what (and who) is important, and what is not.

The one thing that came through loud and clear following the special meeting to discuss a temporary building moratorium until a commonsense stormwater management plan and smart growth initiatives can be implemented, was who influences the outcome when development interests come up against the needs of existing Volusia County residents.

In my view, the fact we find ourselves in this incredibly expensive predicament is a testament to the abject lack of vision and strategic growth management measures by Volusia County and some municipalities that have allowed greed-crazed fill-and-build growth to spread like wildfire. 

Call it negligence, gross incompetence, or a willingness to look the other way in a legalized quid pro quo scheme that exchanges campaign cash for a development rubber stamp – but the damage is done. 

The only thing I know with certainty is how we find our way out of this dangerous quandary cannot be left to the same dullards who got us into it into the mess in the first place.

That’s all for me.  Have a great weekend, y’all!

Hi, kids!

It’s time once again to turn a jaundiced eye toward the news and newsmakers of the day who, in my cynical opinion, either contributed to our quality of life or detracted from it in some significant way:

City of Edgewater Building Moratorium – A Bold Step in the Fight Against Flooding

On Monday evening the Edgewater City Council did the honorable thing in approving a 12-month building moratorium to protect residents whose homes have been repeatedly inundated with development-induced floodwater.

The measure took the form of two ordinances, one placing a temporary halt on annexations, rezonings, planned-unit development amendments, comprehensive plan amendments, site plans, preliminary plats, and final plats, including development applications.  

The ordinance passed on a 3-1 vote with Councilwoman Debbie Dolbow voting against…    

The other passed by unanimous vote and adopts a temporary moratorium on the issuance of building permits “…that would increase impervious surface area such as, but not limited to, new single family homes, additions, attached garages, detached garages, sheds, pools, driveways, patios on any parcel within the Florida Shores Drainage Basin…”

The moratorium does not limit commercial or industrial development in properly zoned areas of the city.  In addition, reports indicate that some 4,000 residential units already entitled to development will be “eligible to proceed.”   

According to an article by Sheldon Gardner writing in The Daytona Beach News-Journal, “Councilwoman Debbie Dolbow opposed the measure, raising questions about how tax revenue would be affected by the pause, where revenue would come from to fix stormwater problems, and the potential need to raise taxes down the road, among other things.”

On Wednesday, Ms. Dolbow posted on social media that she felt a permanent city manager should be “part of this process,” and the moratorium should not have been enacted until the stormwater masterplan is complete, explaining “The moratorium I was opposed to was the City Wide moratorium that delt with annexations, rezoning, etc. I felt these critical, much needed changes to our current Land Development Code and Comp Plan could have been accomplished without “shutting down” for a year.”

Many believe the pause represents a commonsense approach that will stop the hemorrhaging until a comprehensive solution to the widespread flooding can be found, and consider it a victory for threatened property owners, some of whom have spent multiple times their homes value on repairs.    

On January 14, the Volusia County Council will also have the opportunity to do the right thing and begin the process of implementing a temporary moratorium on new development in unincorporated areas until comprehensive growth management, stormwater, and smart building regulations can be put into place.

Chairman Jeff Brower suggested the temporary halt to new construction during the 2024 election.  Unfortunately, even the mere whisper of the “M” word has sent tremors through the powerful development community, and their sock puppets on the Volusia County Council are already working overtime to protect the interests of those who own the paper on their political souls…

For instance, during a contentious Volusia County Council meeting last November, frustrated flood victims gave nearly three-hours of emotional testimony ahead of the scheduled discussion of a temporary moratorium. 

Undeterred by the suffering of his constituents, Councilman David “No Show” Santiago moved to strategically postpone the discussion of countywide flooding – now considered the most serious threat to the public’s health and safety of our time – giving his handlers in the real estate development industry sixty additional days to ramrod fill-and-build development… 

That didn’t sit well with soggy flood victims fed up with the bureaucratic runaround.  

I’ve said this before, but the Volusia County Council’s persistent lack of definitive solutions and near-constant reluctance to do anything of substance is becoming a huge concern to anxious taxpayers. 

Now that development-induced flooding is too widespread to ignore – with Volusia County considered the most flood-prone location in Florida – it is time for residents to demand substantive action from their elected representatives, including a temporary moratorium to mitigate further damage, protect our property values, and restore our dwindling quality of life.

The special meeting of the Volusia County Council will start at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 14, in the Council chambers at the Thomas C. Kelly Administration Center, 123 W. Indiana Avenue in DeLand.

Volusia County School Board – A Question of Character

Accepting responsibility for ones acts and omissions is a key leadership trait. 

In fact, holding ourselves accountable, admitting blame, and accepting consequences is the highest mark of character, emotional intelligence, and personal courage.  It means taking ownership of our errors and shortcomings – never shifting fault to others, quibbling facts, or making excuses. 

History has proven that in the public realm constituents cannot have confidence in elected and appointed leaders who feel they are beyond accountability.  

According to reports, earlier this month, embattled former Volusia County School Board Chair Jessie “Whackadoodle” Thompson, sent an email to Superintendent Carmen Balgobin (?) announcing her intent to step down as School Board Chair after she disparaged Deltona High School students, referred to fellow board member Ruben Colón as a “tan gentleman,” and openly admitted to intentionally providing members with false information in order to pass certain items coming before the board.

Her meanspirited rant during a Moms for Liberty conference in Washington divulged that Thompson “…worked with our sheriff’s department to get something put into that contract, and then they voted to pass it without reading it through.  It was magical.

It wasn’t “magical.”  It was a lie.

In my view, Ms. Thompson’s fellow board members – and Volusia County taxpayers – have a right to expect their elected officials won’t use blatant falsehoods to push public policy or personal agendas…     

In December 2024, Thompson issued a lukewarm apology for her off-the-wall comments – which included describing her relationship with colleagues as “I’m hated by the rest of my board, and I can deal with that emotionally. They’re not nice people,” and offering her weird assessment of the motivation of newly elected board members Donna Brosemer and Krista Goodrich.

In her weak mea culpa, Thompson described her words as “poorly chosen,” claiming “I am sorry to the board that I sit with that my words caused you sadness and anger,” in other words, “Sorry I triggered you snowflakes…”

Unfortunately, Thompson only resigned her leadership role and will retain her seat on the board.

No word yet if any law enforcement agency charged with public integrity investigations have opened an inquiry to determine the extent to which Ms. Thompson’s admitted artifice may have corrupted the district’s contracting and procurement system…

Why not?

This week, Victoria Encarcion of Daytona Beach, in an open letter published in the West Volusia Beacon, wrote in part:

“I believe Chair Thompson’s actions warrant an ethics investigation. There are serious questions surrounding her actions and whether they adhere to the ethical standards expected of a school board member. There are questions about the validity of information presented to the board, specifically regarding agenda items and the sheriff’s contract. There are concerns about what information was withheld or misrepresented.

This requires a thorough and independent investigation to determine the facts and ensure transparency and accountability. The public deserves to know the truth about these matters.”

In my view, the absence of an independent investigation sends a terrible message to other elected officials that “feeding false data” to colleagues and constituents to influence the allocation of public funds is just ‘bidness as usual’ in Volusia County…    

In addition, Ms. Thompson forgot who she works for (and why) when she directed her resignation to Superintendent Balgobin.  What she didn’t forget was to deflect blame for her own abhorrent personal and professional conduct by claiming there are unnamed people “who seek to make me their focus and detract from the real work that needs to be done.”

Well, so much for that whole ‘leadership by personal example, moral responsibility, and accepting blame’ horseshit, eh? 

In my view, Jessie Thompson is a talentless actress playing a difficult role; crafting and perpetuating an image and persona of what she thinks a “conservative” school board member should be – brash, controversial, a sharp-elbowed change agent – yet she lacks the political, interpersonal, and negotiation skills to effectively legislate public education policies without creating a false narrative.

It’s okay to be a good mimic of those you admire, but it requires the perception and intellect to decern the reasons behind the politics, ideology, and actions you parrot. 

Unfortunately, it appears Ms. Thompson has assumed an artificial identity she is intellectually ill-equipped for – and the resultant drama and divisiveness has nothing to do with the furthering the interests of Volusia County students, parents, teachers, and staff…

This travesty has been a distraction, another embarrassing blackeye, and on January 14, Ms. Thompson should do the right thing for Volusia County and take her leave.

First Step Shelter – How much more can we afford?  

Back in the 1970’s there was a commercial for an oil filter company with the hook, “You can pay me now, or pay me later…” – meaning you can bite the bullet upfront and purchase quality protection or pay for catastrophic damage after going with an inferior alternative.

I was reminded of that classic spot last month when it was reported that two former employees of the First Step Shelter who blew the whistle on possible financial irregularities and mismanagement filed a lawsuit against both First Step and the City of Daytona Beach alleging that they were retaliated against and publicly defamed after coming forward with their allegations.  

Because they were.

In a disturbing December 2024 article in The Daytona Beach News-Journal, reporter Eileen Zaffiro-Kean continued her excellent coverage of this colossal shitshow:

“The suit filed early last week alleges the two former employees, Patrick Smith and Pamela Alexander, were fired in retaliation for their extensive complaints against the shelter, and that they’ve been publicly defamed by the city and shelter.

The city is named as a defendant because it’s intermingled with the shelter. The city owns the shelter building west of Interstate 95, has oversight powers of the shelter board and has contributed $400,000 per year since the shelter opened five years ago. The city also set up the nonprofit agency that became First Step Shelter, Inc.”

The city’s embroglios with the enigmatic “shelter” go far deeper than that – all the way back to its obscenely expensive beginnings in the inner-sanctum of former City Manager Jim “The Chisler” Chisholm – someone not known for transparency. 

Now it looks like things are about to get even more costly for Daytona Beach taxpayers as the whistleblowers seek a jury trial and damages in excess of $50,000…

In my view, compounding the problem (and the liability) – rather than defend these whistleblowers after what passed for an inconclusive “investigation” by an outside attorney (an inquiry that amounted to little more than a few interviews) – some board members set about protecting Executive Director Victoria Fahlberg by publicly destroying the personal and professional reputations of the former employees, questioning their motivations, and shielding Fahlberg from serious questions regarding her management and oversight of the program. 

In a mind-bogglingly negligent action, the board allowed members to unleash their collective bile on the former employees in an open public meeting and on social media, calling their willingness to come forward with concerns “appalling and ridiculous,” a “scam,” and a “charade” – ensuring that no other First Step employee would ever dare come forward again.  

Would you?

Then, for reasons that have never been released or explained to those of us who pay the bills, the cowardly First Step Shelter Board voted unanimously to accept an incomplete investigation and stop any further inquiry into the serious allegations of fraudulent practices, rule violations that created a dangerous environment for staff and clients, discrimination, and workplace harassment. 

In my view, perpetrating a coverup in plain sight. 

In the aftermath, concerned taxpayers have questioned why the First Step Board engaged in such blatant deflection and victim shaming before the investigative report was made public?

To his credit, Daytona Beach Mayor Derrick Henry, who serves as the First Step board’s president, has said publicly what anxious taxpayers have been thinking all along:

“There are things at the shelter that rise to a deep level of concern,” Henry said. “The situation we’re in is because of leadership.”

In my experience, when an appointed board member and the executive director of a publicly funded social service have goals and opinions that are counter to the interests of the governing/funding organization – in this case the City of Daytona Beach – then it is time for them to do the honorable thing and resign or be terminated.

Don’t look for either of those commonsense measures to be taken in this bizarre case…   

Now, the City of Daytona Beach is facing a massive lawsuit – and the Volusia County Council is rightfully withholding the bulk of the shelter’s annual funding until they can be assured taxpayers (and employees) are being protected from retaliation and financial mismanagement.    

It’s the right thing to do.

I’ve said this before, now is the time to mitigate further damage (and liability) by purging these heels from the First Step Board of Directors and allow space for those with the personal and fiduciary responsibility to begin the arduous process of restoring the public’s trust in the First Step Shelter before one more public dime is spent.    

Quote of the Week

“A section of Atlantic Avenue in Ormond Beach may be a dead zone for resorts, restaurants and other businesses.

Some prefer the word cursed while others use jinxed to describe locations and sections of streets that seemed destined for one business after another to fail.

No matter the descriptor of choice, the recent closings of Dalmare Italian Chophouse, The Wave Sports Bar & Grill, Makai Beach Lodge and the temporary shutdown of The Maverick Resort raised the specter the area isn’t particularly hospital to businesses.

Those four businesses are on a bit more than a one mile stretch of A1A, falling between Rockefeller Drive to the north and Howard Drive to the south, and join many others that have failed over the years.

“Every town has got those areas that just never seem to click,” said an employee of a business located along this corridor.

The employee asked for anonymity before referring to the two restaurant locations occupied by Dalmare Italian Chophouse and The Wave Sports Bar & Grill as hard for any business to stay open for long.

Even establishments that are doing well in the profit and loss columns might get shut down because of a storm, such as Hurricane Milton. It closed the Makai Beach Lodge and temporarily shuttered The Maverick.”

–Journalist Charles Guarria, Hometown News Volusia, “Business success disappears in an Ormond Beach ‘dead zone’,” Thursday, January 2, 2025

I found Charles Guarria’s interesting piece on the perennial “dead zone” that is A-1-A – a/k/a Jimmy Buffett Memorial Highway – a commercially challenged stretch extending from Granada Boulevard south to be thought provoking, which is what a well written news article should do.

Perhaps the beachside is cursed by some ethereal witchery…

Or is it something else?   

Like old-fashioned neglect and a lack of strategic vision by those who accept public funds to serve in the public interest… 

In 2018, when “The Grippa Group” – a blue ribbon “beachside redevelopment” committee comprised of Volusia County’s best and brightest – issued their bureaucratically neutered final report listing ways our core tourist area could be revitalized, I wrote:

“Perhaps the Grippa Report can bookend the 2011 tourism study wherein the Volusia County Council paid $100,000 to an out-of-state consultant to conduct a review which concluded that our beachside “tourism product” was a serious impediment to attracting visitors and economic development, “…there is no “plan” for who is leading the effort and how these challenges can be improved.”

Now, fourteen-years later, there still isn’t.

For a better perspective, I encourage everyone to take a drive down Atlantic Avenue and absorb the “feel” of the area like a visitor might – sense that ‘down at the heels’ vibe, the remnants of our once famous “Boardwalk,” and the unwelcoming appearance that greets residents and those tourists we spend heavily to attract year, after year, after year…   

In order for entrepreneurial investment to be attractive and financially practical on the Halifax area’s blighted beachside, investors must be free of the bureaucratic formalities, exorbitant fees, mind-numbing applications, timewasting processes, and the repetitive hurdles that continue to force investors to walk away, small businesses to close, or relocate to more “business friendly” areas.

Sadly, rather than call our publicly funded (and horribly redundant) “Economic Development” types on the carpet and demand an explanation for where an estimated $120 million that was ostensibly spent in the area between Oakridge Boulevard and International Speedway Boulevard went, neglected residents and business owners have been ignored for so long they have come to accept the fatalistic view of those who should be working for positive change.    

For instance, in 2019, Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Nancy Keefer admitted during a walking tour of our blighted core tourist area that it may take “30-40 years” to turn things around.

As members of the Daytona Regional Chamber prepare to don their finery and throw its annual soirée (this year’s theme “Let Us Entertain You!”) – a time for everyone who is anyone in Halifax area high society to exchange plaques and accolades while Rome burns – perhaps the Chamber’s incoming Board Chair, Mike Sznapstajler, a land-use attorney with Cobb Cole Law Firm, can expedite “turning things around” beachside? 

Because, in my view, throwing your hands up and acquiescing to the stagnant status quo, rather than ‘rock the political boat’ isn’t a good look for a Chamber of Commerce, and it damn sure does nothing to encourage struggling beachside businesses who continue to fight a losing battle in the absence of any comprehensive revitalization plan. 

Am I wrong?  Probably… 

Slowly but surely, many are coming to the realization that the Halifax area (like much of Volusia County) lacks the talent and vision to turn things around in our core tourist area and elsewhere.  In my view, it is now time to bring in outside experts – a firm that specializes in urban planning, architectural and landscape design, and ‘placemaking’ that employs high-performance economic development professionals with a proven history of revitalization – then get the hell out of their way. 

Yes, that will require eliminating the lucrative “positions” of some current do-nothings – including the ‘good old boys travel club’ over at “Team Volusia” – but its now, or never… 

Fortunately, there are bright spots. 

Small businesses are lighting up Main Street, drawing crowds, and changing the character of the street – sparks of inspiration that continue to flicker amidst the darkness of economic futility –and give hope for the future of the Main Street Redevelopment Area and beyond.

I’m not talking about the artificial “New Daytona” over on Boomtown Boulevard or some contrived “theme” subdivision.  I’m describing a “real” beach town, and one of the most downtrodden tourist destinations on the Eastern Seaboard, a place that for reasons yet to be explained has been allowed to wither and die while areas west receive the attention, and money.

By now it should be painfully clear to anyone paying attention that those who pass for “economic development” gurus in the Halifax area have grown tired and visionless, content to use a gross form of corporate welfare cloaked in secrecy to attract the low hanging fruit of warehouse scutwork and untested aviation adventures – while ensuring all the right last names have their for-profit ventures underwritten with public funds – rather than work to foster a free, open, and level marketplace that supports the private investment we so desperately need.

And Another Thing!

As George R. R. Martin said in A Clash of Kings, “When you tear out a man’s tongue, you are not proving him a liar, you’re only telling the world that you fear what he might say.”

It’s a thinly veiled secret that the Lost City of Deltona is facing serious internal and external issues, real impediments to civic progress and good governance.  Unfortunately, given the sins of the past, more internecine turmoil is the last thing longsuffering residents need right now.    

In my view, now is the time when those at the top of the municipal government should embrace transparency and encourage community involvement and input.  That said, why did city officials resurrect ways to silence those who pay the bills and stifle dissention during the City Commission’s first public meeting of 2025?

On Monday, many Deltona observers were left wondering what in the hell City Manager Dale “Doc” Dougherty and Mayor Santiago Avila, Jr. were thinking when they posted an agenda item proposing adoption of a host of subjective rules for public meetings?

For the record, this isn’t the first time this horribly challenged municipality has gone down the rabbit hole of political insulation, but history always seems to repeat itself around these parts… 

For instance, during the tumultuous reign of former City Manager Jane Shang, it became glaringly apparent that Deltona’s elected and appointed officials had simply given up on the concept of truth, transparency, and honor in public service in favor of some shambolic shitshow that bore no resemblance to a functioning municipal government – a weird pastiche of Three Stooges slapstick wrapped in a gut-wrenching Greek tragedy.

Following one particularly raucous meeting in 2019, The Daytona Beach News-Journal did an excellent job of describing the chaotic scene:

“Explicit language from residents at the lectern addressing city commissioners was frequent, though sometimes hard to hear over occasional chants of ‘lock her up’ and other similar demands. There was even a profanity-laced tirade by phone from someone out of state made during the raucous proceedings for which at least one child was present.”

Strange times.

Admittedly, due to resignations and recent elections, things have taken a distinctly more civil and businesslike tone since those wild and wooly days of yore.  But I still hear rumors and rumblings about the intrigues and influences worming around behind closed doors at City Hall…

So, during this unusual period of relative stability on the dais, why poke the sleeping bear of citizen dissent?

Why add to the very real suspicions of taxpayers by freezing them out of public meetings, relegating their participation to a fleeting two-minute audience before the elected Monarchy, restraining them with one-sided rules that allow the often moody Mayor to shut them down, and demanding they jump through the ridiculous hoop of “requesting to speak” in writing before exercising their inalienable right to free speech?

On Monday evening, the Deltona City Commission voted 6-1 to table and ultimately workshop the controversial agenda item amending “operating guidelines,” rules, and procedures ostensibly designed to “…clean up and streamline” the conduct of public meetings. 

When I saw that newly elected Commissioner Nick Lulli cast the lone “No” vote – an elected official who has championed First Amendment issues after being brutally attacked for speaking his mind on civic issues – some residents felt he may have supported the measure – so, I asked him about it. 

Not surprisingly, Commissioner Lulli explained he knew that many in the community were opposed to the proposed rules – and he wanted to vote the matter down outright, rather than resurrect it for discussion at a workshop – time Mr. Lulli feels could better be spent finding solutions to excessive water rates and other critical issues facing Deltona.

Good idea.

In my view, the right of those who pay the bills to speak freely at public meetings forms the foundation of a representative democracy.  A constitutionally protected freedom that ensures our ability to voice a differing viewpoint, criticize government without fear of retribution, and express our thoughts on the administration of public policy and the allocation of tax dollars by meaningful participation in governmental actions that should not occur in a vacuum.

Sometimes that participation arouses the full range of human emotions, the spirited debate of ideas, a confrontation of philosophies, and righteous criticism – the necessary interface of free citizens and their duly elected representatives – often referred to as the “brutality of accountability” in a democracy.   

In my view, anything less is un-American – and ministerially self-serving for those who accept public funds to serve in the public interest.  

Unfortunately, far too often, those who hold themselves out for public office discover after the backslapping of the victory party that it’s a whole different ball game the first time they come bad breath-to-bad breath with an angry constituent. 

That’s when they learn not everyone is their friend – and even constructive criticism can sting. 

Unfortunately, efforts to armor their sensitive egos often result in ludicrous “civility ordinances,” and “Rules of Decorum,” asinine vanity regulations designed to pull the reins on vigorous debate and shield senior officials from the discomfiture of open criticism during public meetings.

Bullshit.

During my lengthy career in municipal government, I learned that constituents would accept honest mistakes, fee increases, and tax hikes if properly explained.  They’ll even put up with aggressive code enforcement – for a while anyway…

What they will not tolerate is having their rights to free speech and self-expression trampled for the convenience of the bureaucracy.

Nor should they.

That’s all for me.  Have a great weekend, y’all!

Hi, kids!

It’s time once again to turn a jaundiced eye toward the news and newsmakers of the day who, in my cynical opinion, either contributed to our quality of life or detracted from it in some significant way…

As we exit 2024 and look forward to the possibilities of the new year, everyone is talking about overdevelopment and its impacts on our quality of life. Let’s get into it:

‘No Vacancy’ – A Time for Commonsense Solutions    

“Even though we’ve added thousands of new homes and apartments in recent years, demand will continue to increase in the coming years which means more supply will be needed,” said Carl Lentz IV, managing partner of SVN Alliance Commercial Real Estate Advisors in Ormond Beach.

The ongoing surge in new construction comes amid concerns by some residents that overdevelopment is one of the causes for the increase in neighborhood flooding after major storms, such as Hurricane Milton in early October.

Volusia County Council Chair Jeff Brower has called for a temporary moratorium on new residential development until a solution can be found to address the issue of flooding.

“It could be for 12, 24 or 36 months,” he told The News-Journal recently, adding that the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2002 that such moratoriums are constitutional. “Thirty-six months is how long Lake Tahoe (Nevada) had it for. I don’t think ours would have to be that long. A moratorium would create the incentive for the county and cities together to formulate a comprehensive stormwater plan. We can’t do it independently anymore. We all have to work together.”

Lentz and local builders maintain that even if the council agrees to impose the moratorium, which is not a certainty, it should not affect projects that have already been approved.

That’s not how Brower sees it. “It should stop everything until we know what to do with the stormwater runoff. This is a very serious problem.”

“The only exceptions, in my view, would be for individual single-family homes on private property and commercial buildings. I don’t see them as the problem,” he said.”

–Business Editor Clayton Park, writing in The Daytona Beach News-Journal, “Coming Very Soon, Builders Expect 2025 to be Busy,” Sunday, December 29, 2024

In 2021, when the “M” word was first being bandied about by anxious residents, I wrote down my thoughts explaining the obvious: 

When a hotel reaches maximum occupancy, management hangs a temporary “No Vacancy” sign to alert potential lodgers that the property has no available space.

That’s because the alternative – packing guests like cordwood into every nook and cranny, placing bedding in hallways and ballrooms, overburdening recreational amenities, gridlocking parking lots, and overcrowding limited facilities – is unsafe, unsanitary, and unsustainable.

Letting potential customers know there is no room at the inn is a short-term measure that protects from the ravages of excess and overuse, frees staff to meet current needs, ensures existing guests have a quality experience, and allows management time to plan – and improve infrastructure to accommodate more customers within set parameters – ensuring that expansion does not infringe on neighbors, current residents, or detract from the unique character of the place that made it attractive to so many.  

Unfortunately, our ‘powers that be’ here on Florida’s “Fun Coast” have failed to grasp (or manage) the myriad issues that occur when one attempts to shove ten pounds of shit into a five-pound sack – my crude metaphor for the malignant growth that has metastasized along the spine of Volusia County from Farmton to the Flagler County line.

With growth and resource management now the principal concern of residents across the region, why do those we have elected and appointed to represent our interests continue to ignore the real experiences and fears of their constituents?

Why do they put the nonsensical argument proffered by real estate developers and brokers that we have an obligation to provide housing stock for potential new residents in a self-fulfilling “build it and they will come” strategy ahead of the needs of existing residents who are crying out for help with the resultant flooding and infrastructure impacts?

In my jaded view, the short answer is money – and Exhibit A is the enormous campaign contributions showered on these malleable finger-puppets each election cycle – artificially large infusions of cash to a hand-select candidate’s war chest that result in a massive return on investment for those with a chip in the game…     

On January 14, the Volusia County Council will have another opportunity to do the right thing and begin the process of implementing a temporary moratorium on new development until comprehensive growth management, stormwater, and smart building regulations can be put into place. 

I’m not talking about pouring good money after bad into more “studies,” staff paralysis by analysis, spiffs to preferred contractors, or spending limited stormwater improvement funds on neglected repair and replacement of already outpaced infrastructure.   

If history repeats (and it always does here in the biggest whorehouse in the world) absolutely nothing of substance will be accomplished now, or in the foreseeable future – because the deck on the dais of power has been stacked – and the claustrophobic Grand Plan for your family’s future and mine has already been set behind closed doors.

At the risk of sounding defeatist, there’s not a damned thing anyone can do about it. 

Not now.  The fix is in – and our grandchildren will pay the price…

That said, I believe it is our civic duty to ensure that none of the self-serving marionettes currently sitting on the Volusia County Council are ever elected to another position of public trust.  

In my view, if they won’t listen to our concerns, or take definitive action to mitigate the identified threats posed by overdevelopment (and the cronyism that perpetuates it), then we have a moral obligation to replace them with those who will at the ballot box.

That starts by cultivating (and supporting) grassroots candidates and collectively guarantee that the foul political careers of those who sold us out to the highest bidder end on the fetid ash heap of history at our earliest opportunity.

Bunnell City Commission

“One person can make a difference and everyone should try,” is sound advice often attributed to John F. Kennedy – and adage that equally applies to governing councils and commissions responsible for preserving their constituent’s quality of life… 

The forests and swamps where I enjoyed nature in my youth have all but been paved over – lost to “theme” communities, “Planned-Unit Developments,” and grotesque “Developments of Regional Impact” – once pristine places where speculative developers ground pine scrub and hardwood forests into a black muck, then drained and filled wetlands in an obscene “hurt here, help there” mitigation strategy – leaving the wild places I once hunted, camped, and fished now blanketed with zero-lot-line wood frame cracker boxes from the “low $300’s.”

We, The Little People – hapless rubes who were led to believe the “system” served our interests – watched helplessly as glib real estate attorneys, developers, compromised legislators, powerful insiders, and marketing shills shaped regional growth management strategies and their projects transitioned from gated communities to “Cities within a City.”

My God.

Planning and development in Volusia and Flagler Counties are no longer an exercise in shaping growth – the art and science of planning neighborhoods, revitalizing downtowns, enhancing civic assets, ensuring adequate transportation and utilities infrastructure, making room for cultural and creative space, and preserving our historic places.

Now, the concept of “growth and resource management” has devolved into how quickly we can allow developers to cram more, more, more into increasingly confined spaces – then watch in disgust as our elected “representatives” shrug cluelessly when confronted with massive development-induced flooding…

In an incredibly unusual occurrence for a Florida municipality, last month, the Bunnell City Commission proved that it can be done and held firm to their community’s Land Development Code and upheld the November 2024 decision of the Planning, Zoning, and Appeals Board to deny an application for the developer of the perversely named “Reserve at Haw Creek” that would have reduced the amount of open space in the massive PUD from 60% to 50%. 

If built according to plan, the PUD will see some 6,000 to 8,000 new homes which will increase the population of the City of Bunnell exponentially…   

According to a recent article by FlaglerLive! we learned:

“Northeast Florida Developers has submitted plans to build the 6,000-to-8,000-home development (up from 5,000 to 6,000 just a few months ago) on 2,800 acres west and south of the urban center of Bunnell. Chad Grimm, who represents the company, argued to the city’s planning board last November that the exception, or variance, was necessary to allow for more single-family homes, which is more profitable. Otherwise, the company would have to make up in height what it lost in spread – meaning that it would have to build more apartments.

The planning board unanimously rejected the request, citing city rules. To win such exceptions, developers have to prove that they would face “hardship” otherwise – itself an objective set of criteria. The developer did not do so in this case. Northeast Florida Developers appealed the decision to the city commission. Monday’s vote upheld the planning board’s decision, denying the appeal.”

Kudos to the majority of the Bunnell City Commission for holding firm to existing land development codes, refusing to bend to the threats and profit motives of those who will forever destroy the culture of their community, and prove the adage that one entity can make a positive difference.    

In my view, a quote by Bunnell Commissioner John Rogers should be engraved in stone and distributed to all councils and commissions in the region:

“This just isn’t right for our city. Our responsibility is to ensure this development aligns with the community needs, the infrastructure, the capacity, environmental, sustainability.”

Amen.

Volusia Politics – A Change in Leadership

“Simply put, the Democrats have become the party of the institutions. Meanwhile, the Republicans now exist in a realm somewhere between suspicion of, and outright hostility to, the institutions. I believe this simple litmus test is our most salient political divide.”

–Douglas Ollivant, “Rappahannock Musings,” December 27, 2024

I am neither a Republican nor a Democrat.

I’m an infernal realist. 

Someone who recognizes what is politically possible in a given situation – grasps the ugly backstory others pretend doesn’t exist – and see things as they truly are, not the way some self-serving bureaucracy wants us to perceive them.

Power, money, and influence don’t impress me.  They never have – and I still cling to the naïve Myth of Fairness:

The old-fashioned notion that good citizens who contribute to our society, struggle to make a living in this artificial economy, pay increasingly onerous taxes, work hard to feed their families, and follow the rules form the backbone of our community – and they deserve better from those bait-and-switch posers we elected to represent our interests.

When it comes to politics, I am a true No Party Affiliate – right of center with moderate, even apolitical, views on most issues – and I rarely involve myself in the terrible divisiveness of the national battle for partisan dominance.

Make no mistake, there is a distinct reason me and 104,942 of my neighbors here in Volusia County are now NPA.  That’s 26.51% of all registered voters here on the “Fun Coast” and just 4,347 shy of the current Democratic roll…

Like my father and grandfather before me, I was a lifelong Republican, until it became apparent during the decadeslong war on the traditional values once shared by all Americans, the rise of identity politics, the loss of reason and compassion, the deification of politicians, and the resultant irreconcilable differences that have brought us to a place of lockstep partisanship.

That’s when I realized that neither party represents my views as a moderate conservative.

In local non-partisan elections, candidates fib and call themselves “Republicans” to gain a statistical advantage.  Unfortunately, we are invariably left with sitting officials who have no understanding of the classic concepts of conservatism or liberalism.  “Republicans” who support the exponential growth and strength of the bureaucracy with perpetual tax increases – while “Democrats” remain absurdly out of touch with the values and priorities of struggling residents.

Last month, the autocratic reign of former Volusia Republican Committee Chair Paul Deering mercifully ended when members had enough of his tyrannical horseshit and elected Maryann Pistilli, a bright and successful Republican operative who led President-elect Donald Trump’s Florida campaign, to steward the influential, if often shambolic, Volusia County Republican Party going forward.

Smart move.

The change was inevitable after Deering’s controversial manipulation of the “Official Republican Voter Guide” during the recent election, along with emerging details of a shocking federal lawsuit alleging gross racial discrimination and internecine bullying by Deering and his toadies… 

Across the sandy aisle, following their national thrashing in November, Volusia County Democrats ignored the hard lessons of 2024 and elected the hypereducated South Florida transplant and Margaritaville resident Nick Sakhnovsky as their new Chair last month. 

Some might suggest that Mr. Sakhnovsky represents everything that has disenfranchised traditionally Democratic voters – the wealthy eggheaded liberal living comfortably in a gated community spewing lofty rhetoric that no longer resonates with the working class.

Because he does… 

In a recent interview, Democratic utility player Rham Emanuel – who many party leaders are favoring for chair of the Democratic National Committee said, (Democrats) “…use language to feel good about ourselves, not to communicate. We all think we’re applying to be adjunct professors at a small liberal arts college. We don’t listen to people. We tell them how to eat their peas.”   

I think Chairman Sakhnovsky’s biggest impediment to his stated goal of luring NPAs to his side of the fence is the fact: Democrats have proven time-and-again that they hate independent thought.

In my view, Sakhnovsky – the former librarian and educator with a law degree, who was recently described by The Daytona Beach News-Journal as “…an Ivy League graduate (Dartmouth at age 19) with three graduate degrees” – is probably a nice guy, but his resume (and thought process) reads like the ultimate academic naval-gazing coastal elite that turned so many off in the last election…      

When asked by the News-Journal what differences he has observed between politics in South Florida and Volusia, his response spoke volumes…

“It used to be sometimes in Broward County that you’d see people switching parties in order to get elected, let’s say, going from Republican to Democrat… It is interesting to see, at least in the last five years, that I went from an environment that was essentially dominated by Democrats to one that was dominated by Republicans, so that required some attitude adjustment.

Being from Margaritaville, where most people are from outside of Volusia, the way we adjusted initially when I would talk with friends, who all are either relatively new to Florida or Volusia, certainly, was, ‘Wow, there’s a lot of nonpartisan races up here.’ And it’s hard to figure out who to vote for. So we actually started, two and a half years ago, a group of us there, started a political committee, it’s called VOTE!

Where its real purpose was to do voter education and advocate for better leadership, but to do it on a nonpartisan basis. Because I felt that was… I’m of the belief that no matter who is my representative at whatever level there is, I’m still their constituent…

That’s why I thought it was actually useful that the County Council (School Board and municipal offices are) nonpartisan… That’s a big change between Volusia and Broward, because in Broward, we call it a County Commission, but that is on a partisan basis in Broward. Not up here… Most voters want a shorthand, if you will, and a political party label is essentially a shorthand for a relatively amorphous, in many ways, set of values or policies. When it comes down to actual governing, sometimes the reality isn’t the same as what the amorphous sense of that reality is.”

What remains of the Democratic Party in Volusia County and beyond is in its death throes – and they have no one to blame but themselves.  In my view, if Mr. Sakhnovsky wants to make a true difference in local politics, he should stick with his grassroots committee VOTE! 

By organizing and leveraging the sizeable voting bloc that new subdivisions like Margaritaville, Mosaic, and others represent in nonpartisan local races, he could truly have a positive impact on the lives and livelihoods of his neighbors.     

The potential influence of thousands of new residents on local politics – and who will emerge to control the juggernaut (I don’t think it will be traditional party bosses or Volusia’s stagnant insiders) – is something observers have waited for. 

I don’t know how things are within the gated confines of his artificial beach community, but Mr. Sakhnovsky should understand the reality the rest of us have lived with for decades:

Here on Florida’s “Fun Coast,” pay-to-play politics are a means to a very lucrative end for those influential few with a chip in the game.      

In my jaded view, Volusia County is essentially an oligarchy – ruled by uber-wealthy insiders who control everything but the ebb and flow of the Atlantic tide – where powerbrokers select malleable candidates then fund their campaigns with massive personal and corporate contributions, and political labels are certainly not an indicator of “values and policies.”   

In Volusia County, abject greed remains the overriding ethos of those who control our destiny…   

As a result, many existing residents have lost confidence in what passes for “governance” – and our fractured relationship with those who hold themselves out for high office, then sell us out to the highest bidder – has resulted in the escalating “trust issue” no one wants to acknowledge in the Ivory Tower of Power.    

Instead, they continue to deflect blame – gaslighting constituents with strategic procrastination, denial, and contradiction – delegitimizing anyone who agrees with grassroots concerns while convincing themselves of their own infallibility. 

Sound familiar?

Here in Volusia County, “We, The Little People” – regardless of individual party affiliation – rightfully share a growing distrust of those elected and appointed officials who refuse to listen to our concerns, ignore the obvious, and kick the can down the dusty political trail on critical issues of universal concern.

Increasingly, angry residents understand that development-induced flooding, transportation infrastructure, overtaxed public utilities, water quality and quantity, and strapped essential services affect everyone equally, regardless of political persuasion.    

In my view, whoever harnesses this growing sentiment will become a true force for change in Volusia County and beyond – one that transcends party politics – a dynamism that is needed now, more than ever, on this salty piece of land we call home.     

(By the way, if you’re not reading Doug Ollivant’s excellent blog Rappahannock Musings, a unique and well-formed take on politics, the military, and international affairs by one of our nation’s foremost experts on national security issues, you can find it here: https://douglasollivant.substack.com/ )  

Quote of the Week  

“As a lifelong resident of DeLand, having called this beautiful town home since February 1970, it pains me deeply to witness the rapid and often reckless development reshaping our city and the surrounding unincorporated areas of West Volusia. While we understand the necessity of growth, the manner in which it is being pursued threatens to destroy the rural charm and close-knit community that make DeLand so special.

I am particularly disheartened by the proliferation of developments featuring 35-foot-wide lots, cramming as many homes as possible into small spaces. Where are the backyards where children can play, families can gather for quiet barbecues, and neighbors can connect? These overcrowded designs sacrifice the very qualities that make neighborhoods livable and enjoyable.

Equally troubling is the County Council’s apparent disregard for the voices of its constituents. Time and again, we’ve made our concerns clear: enough is enough. While it may be difficult to impose a complete moratorium on building, it is entirely within the council’s power to stop rezoning that enables these densely packed developments.”

–Tom Sutherland, DeLand, as excerpted from his editorial, “Protect what make DeLand unique,” The West Volusia Beacon, Tuesday, December 17, 2024   

In his well thought essay, Mr. Sutherland hit on two interconnected issues facing Volusia County residents on both sides of what remains of the Palmetto Curtain – rampant overdevelopment and the obstinate refusal of our elected “representatives” on the Volusia County Council to listen to their frightened constituents.

As Mr. Sutherland noted, “The devastating flooding caused by hurricanes Helene and Milton brought another issue into sharp focus. Poor drainage systems and a lack of thoughtful environmental planning exacerbated the destruction, displacing families and overwhelming infrastructure.

These disasters are stark reminders that our current path is unsustainable, and yet the County Council continues to “kick the can down the road.” Council meetings often end with delays and excuses rather than meaningful action to address these pressing concerns.”

In my view, Mr. Sutherland has voiced the frustrations of thousands of anxious Volusia County residents – especially those whose homes are repeatedly inundated with floodwaters now that “100-year Storms” have turned into biannual occurrences – taxpayers who are exasperated by political procrastination and are demanding to be heard on the most pressing issue of our time.

In November 2024, District 5 Councilman David “No Show” Santiago successfully pushed the discussion of a temporary building moratorium as proposed by Chairman Jeff Brower by disingenuously claiming, after years in local and state political office, that he still needed more information on regional flooding before deciding whether to assist threatened homeowners.  

Bullshit.

Santiago punctuated (and telegraphed) his thinly veiled motives with more of his timewasting bashing of Brower – doing anything and everything possible to put time and distance between public outcry and the next strategic postponement.

On Christmas Eve, Patricia Gertenbach of Ormond-by-the-Sea, issued a heartfelt entreaty to the Volusia County Council in an editorial published in the Ormond Beach Observer, which read, in part:

“A moratorium is drastic but not as drastic as losing your home, and there are many solutions to the flooding issues in between a moratorium and doing nothing: revitalize older areas with existing infrastructure; buy vacant land for stormwater storage “parks;” managed retreat; and no more building in vulnerable areas, to name a few. I implore the County Council to do what is in the best interest of their constituents.”

Me too… 

On Tuesday, January 14, beginning at 4:00pm, in the council chamber at the Thomas C. Kelly Administration Building, 123 West Indiana Avenue, DeLand, the Volusia County Council will discuss a temporary moratorium on development until flood mitigation and sustainable growth management regulations can be formulated.

Trust me.  I find it just as odd and conflicting as you that the Volusia County Council would select a date and time conflicting with a previously scheduled School Board meeting, but this is one you should not miss.   

Sadly, it appears Volusia’s stodgy “Old Guard” would rather your home flood than admit Jeff Brower is right – about anything – or tighten the reins on the greed-crazed sprawl that has enriched a few powerful insiders at the expense of many… 

I fear it will be little more than politics on parade – a good old-fashioned Volusia County kabuki – where the same clueless assholes who got us into this intractable mess will tell us how they plan to get us out of it – with all the gaslighting and scary stories you’ve come to expect from those shameless shills who so willingly traded their integrity, independence, and our quality of life for a pat on the head and a campaign contribution…

Time will tell.

Kudos to Tom Sutherland, Patricia Gertenbach, and so many others who are demanding action on this critical issue.

And Another Thing!

2025 – The Year of the Snake… 

“According to the Chinese zodiac, the Jade Emperor invited all the animals to a banquet in heaven, and the order of their arrival would determine their rank in the zodiac. The Snake was clever and cunning, and hid in the hoof of the Horse, who was running fast. When they reached the gate of heaven, the Snake jumped out and startled the Horse, making it fall behind. Thus, the Snake became the sixth animal, while the Horse became the seventh.”

–The Chinese Zodiac

Sounds familiar…    

When it comes to what passes for Volusia County politics and governance poisonous, ambitious, and enigmatic snakes abound. 

That’s one reason I rarely get my hopes up.

While the faces on the dais occasional change, the ‘system’ remains, and – for good or ill – the limitations of the county charter dovetail precisely with the formal restrictions of the council/manager form of government to make it impossible for one councilmember to affect even a modicum of change.

Even when those of us who pay the bills demand it… 

Since it became unfashionable to listen to the concerns of taxpayers, the county bureaucracy largely controls the focus of our elected officials – senior “staff” who invariably limit options by bringing narrowly defined “recommendations” that leave few alternatives.

When forced into a corner on critical issues, Volusia County politicians bolster their haughty sense of infallibility with the support of useful idiots, the giddy “Chamber of Commerce” set, and others beholden to the “system” – each of whom self-servingly do their damndest to add legitimacy to the deception and manipulation.

In turn, a few are thrown the occasional crumb – usually something everyone knows doesn’t have a snowballs chance in hell of coming to fruition, yet they continue to grovel for scraps – while influential insiders with a chip in the game gorge greedily…

Snakes, indeed.     

As a result, much of the published agenda is a foregone conclusion, nothing of substance happens, and the stagnant status quo is protected at all costs, with anything of importance decided in off the agenda votes without public input, or opposition. 

That’s not going to change.

But recently, things on the street have felt different to me.

For instance, in last year’s election, Chairman Brower once again proved that votes beat money, and despite the machinations of powerful forces working behind the scenes to hamstring his run for reelection, concerned voters saw Brower’s well-funded opposition for what it was.

Increasingly, Volusia County residents are beginning to call out the cheap-jack tactics of compliant waterboys like District 3 Councilman Danny “Gaslight” Robins, the obstructionism of David “No Show” Santiago, and the backhanded sabotage of Chairman Brower’s initiatives by At-Large Councilman Jake “The Snake” Johansson – whose recently announced run for state office is getting a frosty reception from waterlogged voters… 

It is apparent that strapped residents are beginning to demand something beyond the exponential expansion of that horribly bloated bureaucracy, exorbitant raises for senior administrators, and ‘more of the same’ for their tax dollars.  

That’s all for me.  Happy New Year, y’all!    

All the best for a happy, healthy and prosperous 2025!

And she brought forth her firstborn son,

and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger,

because there was no room for them in the inn.

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field,

keeping watch over their flock by night.

And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them,

and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.

And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Luke 2

One of the greatest gifts in my life is the sense of purpose this alternative blog has given me – the opportunity to participate in a larger discussion – all made possible thanks to your readership and support. 

Whether or not we agree on the myriad social, civic, and economic issues of the day, I hope we remain friends, grounded in the common purpose of seeking a better tomorrow for our children and grandchildren through the vigorous competition of ideas and a universal desire for honorable, accessible, and principled governance.

Here’s a special thanks to the loyal members of the Barker’s View tribe.

Your civic awareness and activism continue to make a difference in our community – and your friendship has enhanced my life in immeasurable ways. 

A true blessing.

Here’s wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas and all best wishes for a healthy, happy, and prosperous 2025!

MDB

Hi, kids!

It’s time once again to turn a jaundiced eye toward the news and newsmakers of the day who, in my cynical opinion, either contributed to our quality of life or detracted from it in some significant way…

U.S. Representative Cory Mills

This week, we learned that the bipartisan House Ethics Committee will review an apparent complaint involving our own District 7 Congressman Cory Mills.

Although few details were released concerning the accusations against the New Smyrna Beach lawmaker, in a short statement issued by the OEC on Monday, we learned the “…Committee on Ethics has extended the matter regarding Representative Cory Mills, which was transmitted to the Committee by the Office of Congressional Ethics on August 29, 2024.”

As you may recall, in the lead-up to the Republican primary in August, a report by Mark Harper in The Daytona Beach News-Journal explained, “Mills, a first-term congressman representing Florida’s 7th District, is facing an Aug. 20 Republican primary challenge from Michael Johnson, a retired Department of Defense employee and Vietnam-era Army veteran from Altamonte Springs.

While campaigning, Johnson is handing voters flyers that ask: “Why does Mills lie about his military service? … He is committing Stolen Valor.”   

According to a follow-up article by Harper this week, “…Michael Johnson, told The News-Journal in October – two months after the OCE’s referral to the Ethics Committee – he had mailed a 55-page “criminal complaint” against Mills to the Attorney General and FBI.”

As I understand it, at issue is Rep. Mills’ claim to have been awarded the Bronze Star medal for heroism during combat in Iraq.  His detractors believe he may have conflated his military service with time spent as a security contractor in Iraq, which apparently occurred after his discharge from the Army.  

Earlier this year, the Army completed a review of Mills’ awards and confirmed he received the Bronze Star and several other service-related medals in a July memorandum.

Then, in August we learned that Mills provided the News-Journal with a Form 638 – the official written recommendation for the Bronze Star – signed by retired Brigadier General Arnold Gordon-Bray, who corroborated to the News-Journal that he signed the recommendation.

“Bray himself told The News-Journal that he did sign a recommendation for Mills, but neither he nor Mills answered the question of when it was signed.”

In the August article, Mills’ detractors pointed out the form was dated 2021 – and Gen. Gordon-Bray retired in 2012…

In his defense, Rep. Mills was quoted in a News-Journal report, “I’m tired of the slander and the defamation,” Mills said. “I ran for office to be able to serve the American people, not to defend something I did 20 years ago over and over and over.”

In addition, Rep. Mills has been credited with rescuing American citizens from Afghanistan in 2021, and in March of this year he escorted thirteen aid workers out of Haiti after criminal gangs took control of the Caribbean nation’s capital. 

The Office of Congressional Ethics also explained that Rep. Mills is rightfully considered innocent of the allegations until proven guilty, “…the mere fact of a referral or an extension, and the mandatory disclosure of such an extension and the name of the subject of the matter, does not itself indicate that any violation has occurred…”        

In my view, if Rep. Mills is in fact a combat veteran who was awarded the Bronze Star for valor in Iraq – he deserves an immediate apology from anyone who made formal accusations of stolen valor.

However, if the insinuations brought to the OEC are true – then Rep. Mills owes his constituents – and anyone who served honorably in the Global War on Terror – an immediate apology, right before he resigns from the United States House of Representatives…

In my view, it is that serious.

Claiming false service accomplishments and unearned awards for valor dishonors the service of those brave souls who earned the respect they so richly deserve with their blood, sweat, and courage.  

Including those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.

Having read the timeline and assorted items of “evidence” as posted at www.corymillswatch.com  I must admit, some things in Rep. Mills’ official military records (as presented in the article and on the website) didn’t add up to me. 

If you live in Florida’s 7th Congressional District – or are simply concerned about good governance, honesty, and personal integrity in public office – I encourage you to follow the OCE’s investigation and determinations.  

In my view, if this is a case of mudslinging gone horribly outside the bounds of ethical campaigning (a wide-open space in the scorched earth bloodbath that is modern politics) then it should be Exhibit A in the case to stop the personal destruction by and between candidates for elective office – something that has a chilling effect on good people considering public service. 

Determining the truth is important to preserving what remains of the public’s tattered trust in the institutions of government, the steady erosion of which I fear will bring terrible repercussions if we don’t reverse this “anything goes” atmosphere that our apathy has created at all levels.  

Sitting representatives like Mr. Mills have a moral and ethical obligation to tell the truth and conduct themselves in a manner that reflects honorably on the House of Representatives, their sworn office, and the district they serve.

That means speaking the unvarnished truth to voters about their background and service.

In my view, these are moral imperatives for holding a position of public trust – and they should not be subject to quibbling, obfuscation, or false witness for cheap political gain on either side of the aisle.

This one bears watching…

Halifax Humane Society

Kudos to Gala Chair Nancy Lohman and all the wonderful sponsors, volunteers, and donors who raised a record setting $537,501 for animal welfare programs during the Halifax Humane Society’s Paws & Pearls Fur Ball held earlier this month at Ocean Center. 

According to a report in the Ormond Beach Observer this week, “…the black-tie gala, presented by Subaru of Daytona, united over 600 of the region’s most passionate animal advocates and community leaders, a press release stated. Emmy-winning television star Brandon McMillan, of CBS’s Lucky Dog, headlined the event.

“This milestone achievement is a testament to the incredible kindness and commitment of our community,” said Sean Hawkins, CEO of Halifax Humane Society. “Thanks to the unwavering support of Subaru of Daytona, our sponsors, and every single guest, we can continue saving the lives of the 15,000 animals who depend on us every year.”

The Halifax Humane Society has been serving the needs of Halifax area animals since 1937 as a full-service “open-door” animal shelter that helps thousands of animals annually in Volusia County.

During this season of giving, I encourage everyone to make a tax-deductible donation to assist the many wonderful programs and educational initiatives sponsored by the Halifax Humane Society.

To learn how you can help, please visit www.halifaxhumanesociety.org

If you live in Flagler County and want to support animal services and welfare, I encourage you to donate to the Flagler Humane Society at www.flaglerhumanesociety.org

Volusia Republican Executive Committee

A tip of the cap to all those who worked diligently behind the scenes to orchestrate a smooth (and much needed) change of leadership at the Volusia Republican Executive Committee. 

Following a shambolic on-again/off-again meeting, Maryann Pistilli, a longtime Republican operative who chaired President-elect Donald Trump’s Florida campaign, took the reins of the Volusia County Republican Party after defeating John Casaburro and William Sell during an election held Saturday in Daytona Beach.

Prior to the vote, controversial former VREC Chair Paul Deering must have seen the bold handwriting on the wall and decided to sit out the internal election…

According to reports, the VREC retained Cathy DiBernardino as secretary and John Reid as treasurer.

It’s no secret that former Chairman Deering’s contentious manipulation of the “Official Republican Voter Guide” earlier this year brought things to a head for many Volusia Republicans, but an October article by Al Everson writing in the West Volusia Beacon brought something more sinister to light.

According to the Beacon’s disturbing report:

“Rosa C. Campbell, who is herself a member of the local Republican Executive Committee, alleges Deering and others engaged in discrimination “against certain types of Conservative members of VCREC by turning them away from joining [the] committee.”

Campbell’s complaint was first filed with the West Volusia Branch of the NAACP, but she has in recent days delivered a refined complaint to the U.S. District Court in Orlando. Contacted by phone, Campbell told The Beacon that she has not yet hired a lawyer to represent her, but she is searching for one. In the filing with the NAACP that accompanies her federal complaint, Campbell writes that Deering, on Feb. 11, 2018, “referred to me as the token Black” in the REC and “made negative comments about Hispanics.

Since that time I tried to get along with Chairman Deering at the General meetings, but he would always ignore me when I raised my hand,” she wrote.

Campbell also wrote that Deering “had me removed from a candidate endorsement meeting on June 25, 2024 because I was taking pictures of candidates speaking, that I would vote on their endorsement by the Republican party and listed in the voter guide.”

Last week, in advance of the VREC election, former Chairman Deering again tried to maneuver around the process by unilaterally cancelling the meeting – a move the Republican Party of Florida put the kibosh on – and the vote proceeded as scheduled on Saturday…

In my view, petty tyrants have always been a problem in local political organizations – typically clubbish cliques that often operate in diametric opposition to the egalitarian principles they claim to represent.

Discrimination and bullying have no place in our democratic system, despite what some high-powered partisan martinets might think, and I commend the Volusia County Republican Executive Committee for refusing to tolerate Deering’s exclusion and manipulation any longer.

Volusia County School Board  

“The Volusia County School Board voted to approve Superintendent Carmen Balgobin’s four-year contract at its school board meeting Tuesday.

The motion, made by Ruben Colón and seconded by Jamie Haynes carried with a 4-1 vote.

Donna Brosemer was in the minority. She felt the board should table the decision until an upcoming meeting so that newly elected board members, including herself, could have a say in the contract.

“Just allow us a little bit of time to have some input and be able to discuss some of the terms that we might question,” Brosemer said. “We have not been given that opportunity, and when this was negotiated, you knew we were coming, and so, I think it’s fair to us and board members to have a better sense of the overall process.”

“My position is still,” she continued. “… this is not ripe, and we have time to cure it. We have time to discuss it. If it is as solid and logical as you describe, then wonderful. But I don’t think that we have had a full opportunity to find out.”

–Reporter Mary Ellen Ritter, writing in The Daytona Beach News-Journal, “Volusia County School Board approves Superintendent Carmen Balgobin’s four-year contract,” Thursday, December 12, 2024

As the Volusia County School Board stumbles from one weird embarrassment to another, last week – with questions of timing and transparency still unanswered – the majority bowed to external political pressure and voted to approve a bloated contract with Superintendent Carmen Balgobin.

Despite the fiduciarily responsible arguments of newly elected member Donna Brosemer, the others seemed hellbent on approving a new four-year agreement with Balgobin – one that gifts her an 8.7% increase taking her salary from $245,000 to $280,000, with all the perquisites and trimmings, such as health insurance, including vision and dental, an addition medical supplement of $500 per month and life insurance coverage.

By comparison, teachers and other instructional personnel were thrown a 3% bone earlier this year… 

In addition to having all school holidays off, Superintendent Balgobin will be gifted twenty calendar days of vacation, accrue one sick day per month, and six days of personal leave per year.

In addition to a county owned vehicle, cellular phone, and computer, the taxpayers of Volusia County will contribute to a slush fund that Balgobin can use – apparently at her sole discretion – to “…participate in civic and community activities as well as activities that promote good relationships with the public and area stakeholders.”

Merry Christmas, indeed…  

The new agreement was negotiated in effective darkness – with the full knowledge that two new members would be seated following the November election – then ramrodded through with three months remaining before the board needed to commit to a new contract. 

In my view, it became apparent the fix was in after listening to former School Board Chair Jamie Haynes mewl the Poormouth Blues – whining about all the normal expenses of living (things you and I are responsible for everyday) that Balgobin was forced to go in her own incredibly deep pocket for under the old contract (I never feel sorry for someone commanding $245,000 in public funds plus benefits…) – before the board voted 4-1 to put the yoke of Balgobin back on students, teachers, parents, staff, and taxpayers for another four-years.

What about goals, performance metrics, and expectations you ask? 

Apparently, they will cobble those afterthoughts together the minute Jamie Haynes learns the difference between a school improvement plan and districtwide strategic goals…   

To her credit, the voice of reason was District 4 representative Donna Brosemer, who smartly cast the lone dissenting vote to postpone this half-baked agreement until members could have discussed it at a public meeting.  

It is no secret that in Volusia County, malleability, averageness, and mediocrity reign supreme; and once again, the School Board has proven that Superintendent Carmen Balgobin is the perfect fit for those abysmal metrics…     

Thanks for participating Volusia County voters:  The more things change, the more they stay the same…    

Quote of the Week

“(Volusia County) Council members dream of spending millions on a motocross facility but have found to their great surprise that residents object to having one in their backyards. And they have repeatedly tried to open Tiger Bay State Forest to all-terrain vehicles, ATVs, over the objections of forest managers, hikers, birders and environmentalists.

Turning the state forest into an ATV track is an evergreen proposal for the Council. It draws a crowd of objectors when it’s on the agenda, so the Council arranges to vote on the issue without any mention on the agenda. Problem solved!

As the holidays approached in 2023, the Council voted to advocate for ATVs before a nearly empty chamber during closing comments in the last minutes of the last meeting of last year. Smooth move!

And back in 2019, the council also took a surprise vote to support ATV traffic in the protected area. The backlash was swift, and the council reversed itself.

On Dec. 3, the issue came up again. This time, under the agenda heading “2025 Proposed State Legislative Priority List.” Who knew that getting ATVs into a state forest was a state legislative priority for the county? It is now.”

–Editorialist Mark Lane, writing in The Daytona Beach News-Journal, “County Council sneaks in an ATV in Tiger Bay vote yet again,” Saturday, December 14, 2024

Once again, the great News-Journal editorialist Mark Lane hits the proverbial nail on the head with his thoughts on the Volusia County Council’s patented use of what I call public policy by ambush – the pernicious practice of voting on off-the-agenda items in the waning moments of public meeting to avoid citizen input or opposition.

Earlier this month, the method was used to worm the perennially failed notion of allowing ATVs in the Tiger Bay State Forest onto Volusia County’s 2025 legislative priority list. 

You read that right.

At a time when taxpayers are clamoring for flood mitigation, transportation infrastructure, utilities upgrades, and clean water initiatives, the majority of our representatives on the Volusia County Council see permitting ATVs in a pristine pine forest and wildlife habitat as a public urgency?   

In his excellent piece, Mr. Lane shined a bright light on the County Council’s recent 6-1 vote to send yet another letter to “Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson asking the state to allow off-road vehicles to tear up the state forest. Council Chairman Jeff Brower acted in his familiar role as the only dissenting vote.”

In my view, Mr. Lane’s piece illuminated the gaslighting machinations of District 3 Councilman Danny Robins – who, in my view, has made a cottage industry finding timewasting solutions to non-existent problems:

“Getting ATVs in the state forest has long been a priority for District 3 County Councilman Danny Robins. “I hope that we can all sit down at the table and work this out and come to some sort of compromise,” he said piously.

A hilarious statement given that the Council has repeatedly sandbagged environmentalists. You’re welcome to the table … oops! dinner’s already been served and we’ve cleared the dishes.”

Perfect.

Many thanks to the great Mark Lane for so eloquently saying what the rest of us are thinking.

And Another Thing!

Reverberations from the bombshell revelation that Volusia County School Board Chair Jessie Thompson is an admitted liar and meanspirited nutcase continued across the political spectrum this week – leaving many stakeholders baffled – and others downright angry that Ms. Thompson hasn’t shown the basic decency to step aside and avoid further humiliation for district schools.   

That’s what happens when self-righteous politicians lose the human emotion of shame. 

As a result, on January 14, the Volusia County School Board will begin 2025 with yet another hyper-dramatic shitshow – a political Kabuki played out in three acts – a livestreamed stage production where Ms. Thompson’s fellow members will consider whether to rightfully remove her as board chair after she lost the moral authority to lead when she disparaged students and openly bragged about providing false information to colleagues during meetings – including the apparent manipulation of an active district contract for reasons yet to be explained…  

When confronted at the end of a tense meeting earlier this month, Ms. Thompson proffered a lukewarm apology, claiming she “chose those words poorly.” 

Bullshit.

The fact is, Ms. Thompson didn’t misspeak.  She knew exactly what she was trying to accomplish, and in doing so brought shame on herself, the Volusia County School Board, and the Moms for Liberty organization.   

In my view, Volusia County taxpayers have the right to expect a degree of integrity, emotional stability, and truthfulness from those who make decisions that affect the lives of thousands of students, teachers, and staff, including the administration of an annual budget now north of $1.2 billion.     

Conducting public affairs with honor is Chairwoman Thompson’s sacred obligation to her constituents and stakeholders – and she has failed to uphold the moral and ethical standards her elected position demands.  As a result, many believe it is now imperative that she step down and allow voters to elect someone who better represents their interests.

Earlier this week, something called Citizens for Truth and Justice in Education of Volusia County, took exception to Thompson’s practice of placing a bible on the dais during public meetings in a “My View” column published in the Ormond Beach Observer.   

I have no problem with Chairwoman Thompson placing the Good Book in front of her – I just wish she would open it and turn to the part that says, “Ye shall not deal falsely, neither lie one to another…”

Although Ms. Thompson bills herself as a comedienne, I’ll be damned if I find anything funny about attacking the ethnicity of a fellow elected official, belittling children she brands intellectually inferior, besmirching the character and motivations of other board members, or spewing lies as a means of ramrodding public policy or approving district contracts – especially a paid agreement with the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office.    

Those aren’t “values” – they are the earmarks of someone out of their depth – a cheap role-player who uses props and costumes to sell an act, when, in reality, they lack the smarts, political acumen, and interpersonal skills to negotiate items in a forthright and collegial way, and those who pay the bills, or rely on Volusia County District Schools for their education or livelihood, should not be forced to accept this phony in a leadership role.      

Unfortunately, that is the recurring fate We, The Little People suffer here on the “Fun Coast” – a place where party bosses and influential insiders cast D-list posers to play a stereotypical role – then, once elected, they transmogrify into something that bears no resemblance to the candidate we voted for.

Bait and switch.  Smoke and mirrors.  Gaslighting and subversion.  

In my view, the best Christmas present Chairwoman Thompson could gift her constituents and colleagues is to tender her immediate resignation from the Volusia County School Board as fitting recompense for her admitted sabotage of the legislative process, and the public trust.

That’s all for me.  Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year to all!

________________________________

Dear Members of the Loyal Barker’s View Tribe:

I’ll be taking a few days off next week to spend time with family and friends celebrating this joyous season!

May peace be with you and those you hold dear.

From the Barker family to yours, Merry Christmas, and all best wishes for a happy, healthy, and most prosperous 2025!

MDB

Hi, kids!

It’s time once again to turn a jaundiced eye toward the news and newsmakers of the day who, in my cynical opinion, either contributed to our quality of life or detracted from it in some significant way…

Volusia School Board Chair Jessie “Whackadoodle” Thompson

During my productive life in law enforcement, I found myself in some scary spots. Chaotic, confusing, and frighteningly dark places that left me with more questions than answers. 

That said, I can honestly report that I have never been anywhere more terrifying than our recent collective stroll through the haunted and horribly disturbed mind of Volusia County School Board Chair Jessie Thompson. 

Whoa.  I’ve seen some shit in my time, folks – but this takes the cake.  Hell, it takes the whole damn bakery… 

According to a disturbing report by Mary Ellen Ritter writing in The Daytona Beach News-Journal this week, during the Moms for Liberty 2024 Joyful Warriors Summit in Washington D.C. this summer, our recently named Volusia County School Board chair Jessie Thompson apparently had something of a psychotic purge during a breakout session entitled “How to Work With Your School Board.”

While pontificating on behalf of something called the Florida Conservative Coalition of School Board Members – a klatch Ms. Thompson runs out of her home (?) – our new School Board chair “…made a disparaging remark about Deltona High School students, admitted to feeding false data to the board to get agenda items passed, and spoke at length about her poor relationships with fellow board members.”

Unfortunately, the weirdness didn’t end there…

In a video posted to social media by an outraged Deltona Mayor Santiago Avila Jr., Chairwoman Thompson is heard casting suspicion on Deltona High School graduation rates – while taking a cheap swipe at students she paints as intellectually inferior to fit her narrative:

“We have one high school, and I don’t mean to take anything away from students or parents, and it is a Title One school, so high-five for doing this, they had a 100% graduation rate last year — 100%.  Now, I’ve walked that school multiple times. I’ve met some bright students, and I’ve met some students that I wouldn’t trust filling up my tank of gas, so I find it really hard to believe that they graduate, and graduation is now turned into basically just handing out participation ribbons.”  

Then, Ms. Thompson showed her true colors…   

According to the article, Mayor Avila claims Ms. Thompson referred to District 5 School Board member Ruben Colón “…as a “tan gentleman” when discussing how he and other “super liberal school board members” respond to public comments from “liberal wackadoodles.”

“We have a tan gentleman who just, like, gets all puffy,” Thompson said. “He gets filled with pride because he is supported, and then that encourages him to do some more crazy nonsense. “Avila also requested Deltona residents to contact Thompson directly and ask for a public apology.”

For the record, while Mr. Colón and I rarely agree on the issues and politics of the day, in my experience, he remains one of the most friendly, accessible, and responsive members of the board – never afraid to explain district issues or defend his position – always open to constructive criticism.   

In perhaps the most bizarre (and disturbing) revelation from Ms. Thompson’s diatribe, she openly admitted to intentionally providing her fellow members with false information in order to pass certain items coming before the board – including a damning disclosure that she “…worked with our sheriff’s department to get something put into that contract, and then they voted to pass it without reading it through.”

Wow.

To her credit, Moms for Liberty-Volusia Chair Jenifer Kelly stated in the News-Journal she was “astonished” by the shocking revelations – creating distance from Thompson’s cringeworthy invective – explaining that her organization does not “support or agree” with Thompson’s comments as “Most of it is false.”

“Moms for Liberty-Volusia is absolutely disgusted and disturbed by her inappropriate comments about students and other board members,” Kelly said on social media. “We disavow any affiliation with school board member Jessie Thompson.” Additionally, Kelly noted that the organizer of the national conference did not consult her prior to scheduling Thompson and also that the local organization did not endorse Thompson as a candidate.”

After publicly describing her relationship with her elected colleagues as “I’m hated by the rest of my board, and I can deal with that emotionally. They’re not nice people,” Ms. Thompson took a moment to irretrievably sever any collegial relationship she may have developed with newly elected board members Donna Brosemer and Krista Goodrich, both of whom were candidates during Thompson’s odd breakdown in Washington:

“One’s running literally because she wants to do other offices, so … this is like a building block kind of thing, and she’s on vacation in Europe a lot, and so … I’m gonna reach out to her. I’ve started to feed her some of the things that are important to me, like teaching kids how to read … (and) send that olive branch out to her,” Thompson said. “And then the other one — I like the word ‘wackadoodle’ — She’s a little bit of a wackadoodle, not politically speaking, just like her own personal things. And she’s a, she’s a very power hungry young lady, but she’s not that young. But anyway, so I’m reaching out to her, too.”

Look, no one has been more critical of the Volusia County School Board and Superintendent Carmen Balgobin’s administration than I have.  In my view, the slow disintegration of stakeholder confidence in the board, the ham-handed maladministration, and the resultant exodus of students, teachers, and staff, is a disaster of epic proportion.

This is different.  And it has nothing to do with liberal/conservative values or democrat/republican rancor.   

If true, Ms. Thompson’s falsehoods and defamations are the antithesis of ‘how to collaborate with your school board’ and have weakened public trust in Volusia County Schools.

During Tuesday evenings School Board meeting, Thompson’s target, District 5 representative Ruben Colón, showed grace and restraint in expressing his disappointment – and received a mewling apology from Thompson (who’s not nearly as brash outside an echo chamber).

In turn, Mr. Colón was unanimously supported when he moved to revisit Thompson’s appointment as School Board Chair at the January 14 meeting.

Look, I dismiss Ms. Thompson’s half-assed mea culpa as a self-serving ploy to save face on the hot seat. 

Before the meeting, Ms. Thompson doubled-down on her offensive comments during her 15-minutes of infamy in an emailed response to WESH-2 claiming “Some are offended because I’ve pointed out that a tan guy is tan. And that some of our graduates aren’t up to an acceptable standard of intelligence. Yet they’re not offended that year after year kids are struggling to learn to read. And they’re not offended that prisons base the number of beds they need on 3rd grade reading scores.”

Bullshit.

In my view, it is time for this meanspirited half-bright to take her leave from the Volusia County School Board. 

With an annual budget now north of $1.5 billion, taxpayers, students, teachers, and staff deserve strong, ethical leadership chairing the Volusia County School Board – a true servant/leader we can trust to make complex decisions without fear of subterfuge, a personal agenda, or worse…

I nominate newly elected District 4 representative Donna Brosemer.

Now that Chairwoman Thompson has been exposed as a habitual liar, someone who has admittedly used deception to subvert the contracting and budget allocation process – a dimwit in pancake makeup who lacks the political, interpersonal, or negotiation skills to effectively legislate public education policies without creating a false narrative – it is time that those law enforcement agencies charged with defending the public trust (and public funds) open an investigation to determine the extent to which Ms. Thompson’s machinations and artifice have corrupted the system. 

Daytona Beach Sports Complex?    

Last week, Halifax area residents learned more about a nascent plan to construct a $185 million sports complex on city owned land west of I-95 off International Speedway Boulevard.

Yeah.  That city owned land…

Some Daytona Beach taxpayers I spoke with – who are already heavily invested in commercial real estate, the restaurant business, dirt mining, apartment complexes, aircraft manufacturing, logistics and warehousing, etc. – remain cautiously optimistic that an entity who is actually in the sports entertainment business might assume the risk on this one…    

According to a report by Eileen Zaffiro-Keen writing in The Daytona Beach News-Journal, the facility would include a 10,000-seat stadium, multi-use fields, courts, baseball diamonds, a swimming pool, ice rink, concessions, and associated amenities.  

“If the facility does come to be, the hope is Daytona Beach would become home to more than 100 sports tournaments each year – everything from basketball to gymnastics to baseball. Concerts could even be held on the property.”

Daytona Beach Mayor Derrick Henry thinks “It’s a beautiful idea,” but one that will require “a multitude of investors.”

“It’s a great idea to expand the local brand.” 

(What “brand”?  Did I miss something?)    

I found Mayor Henry’s quote about “investors” interesting, because an article by Andreas Butler in the Daytona Times published earlier this year dropped an interesting tidbit, “The city could impose a sales tax to help pay for the project…”

Really? 

Is that even possible? 

I’m asking, because anyone paying attention knows that we need every available tax dollar to begin sorting out the terrible infrastructure issues brought by malignant overdevelopment in Daytona Beach and beyond… 

(Find the Daytona Times piece here: https://tinyurl.com/3kv2f54e )

In a follow up by Zaffiro-Keen this week, Daytona Beach City Manager Deric Feacher listed several other possibilities:

“When asked Friday how the project could be funded, City Manager Deric Feacher listed several possibilities. He said tourism tax dollars could be tapped, and both local colleges and Volusia County’s K-12 schools could be partners.

The county government could also become a partner, and the city of Daytona Beach could take out a loan, Feacher said.

The city could also look into selling the Municipal Stadium property on LPGA Boulevard to a developer who might want to build houses there since the land is near residential neighborhoods, he said.

Professional athletes could also become investors, he said.

Feacher noted there could be a 10-20 year buildout, so the money could be put together over time.”

In addition, the Clearwater-based company that was paid $172,000 to plan the complex has suggested a “professional operator” run the facility, not the City of Daytona Beach.

According to reports, Daytona Beach Economic and Strategic Opportunities Director Jeffrey Brown said last week, “…the city would work to get the revenue from the tournaments they would host to pay for the cost of operating the facilities. 

(Wait?  Is Mr. Brown suggesting that the facility will pay for itself? Crazy talk…)

“We’re going to get as much funding from outside the city as we can to try to make this a smaller burden on the taxpayers,” and the next step in the process is for “city staff” to meet with “potential investors” to gauge interest in funding the facility…

Wait. The same senior “staff” that negotiated the purchase of that asbestos-laden house of horrors on Beach Street?

What could possibly go wrong? 

At this early stage, the concept appears to be just another pie-in-the-sky “public/private” partnership in waiting (you know, where public funds augment the profit motives of private interests), but the possibility gives us something to think about while we’re stuck in four cycles of a traffic signal on Boomtown Boulevard…   

Food for thought like, “When are Daytona Beach and Volusia County taxpayers ever going to be off the hook for funding the for-profit schemes of private sector interests?”  Or “When will our elected and appointed officials learn that there are ‘must haves’ and ‘nice to haves’?”

Time will tell…

Quote of the Week

At the shelter board’s regular meeting Monday evening, Executive Director Victoria Fahlberg said First Step still has about $120,000 coming in each month.

The financial uncertainty comes in the wake of a whistleblower complaint against First Step Shelter brought by three former employees about six months ago.

One of the employees quit shortly after the complaint was filed, and the other two were fired. The two fired employees have retained an attorney and are contemplating filing a lawsuit against the shelter.

The shelter board hired a local attorney to look into the whistleblower complaints. The attorney finished his probe months ago and filed a report, but the shelter board has not released the report.

Daytona Beach resident Anne Ruby told shelter board members at their meeting Monday evening that she has spoken to several County Council members, and they want to see the investigator’s report.

Ruby said she doesn’t feel the whistleblower investigation was thorough enough, and that it’s left “a big cloud over the shelter.”

–Civic Activist Anne Ruby, speaking truth to the First Step Shelter Board, as quoted by reporter Eileen Zaffiro-Keen in The Daytona Beach News-Journal, “First Step Shelter is 3 months deep into its fiscal year and uncertain on $400K in funding,” Tuesday, December 10, 2024

While I can be hypercritical of the errors and omissions of the Volusia County Council, in my view, one thing they ‘got right’ this year was withholding the $400,000 annual stipend taxpayers pony up to keep the enigmatic First Step Shelter program alive.

In my view, their hesitance in throwing good money after bad showed a level of fiscal responsibility that bunch isn’t normally known for…

Most agree that the needs across our region are simply too great to devote a combined $4 million in scarce public resources to a single entity every five-years, while a very visible segment of the homeless population who are ineligible or incapable of transitioning to permanent housing remain without services and outreach.

According to the News-Journal, “Now shelter funding is slated to be on the Council’s Jan. 21 agenda, forcing First Step Shelter to push through the Christmas and New Year’s holidays not knowing if the organization’s roughly $1.5 million budget has permanently lost nearly one-third of its funding.

The Daytona Beach City Commission also still needs to vote on whether to continue its $400,000 annual grant for the shelter, and the First Step Shelter Board has still not ratified its lease agreement to continue using the city-owned shelter building off of U.S. Highway 92 five miles west of Interstate 95. Both of those matters, however, appear to be headed for approval.”

Civic activist Anne Ruby is right – rocked by a still unaddressed scandal, the threat of possible whistleblower lawsuits, transparency issues, questions of financial irregularities, and maladministration – a very dark cloud hangs heavy over the First Step Shelter and its governing board.

Only the disinfecting light of day can change that.   

Sadly, it has become painfully obvious to anyone watching that this perplexing program will never stand on its own two feet, and our elected officials now have a fiduciary responsibility to taxpayers that demands a change in leadership at First Step before one more public dollar is allocated.

And Another Thing!

On December 29, Volusia County will celebrate our 170^th anniversary. 

One would think after that many years, we would have matured into a place where good governance holds more weight than the profit motives of speculative developers with a chip in the game?

I was contemplating our collective civic fate recently and was reminded of that famous scene from the Broadway play Billy Rose’s Jumbo, when Jimmy Durante – leading a live elephant – is stopped by a police officer who asks, “What are you doing with that elephant?”

Durante reply’s – “What elephant?”

That comedic exchange reminded me of the Volusia County Council’s reaction as flood victims continue to show up, en masse, and demand action from those they elected to represent their interests. 

Let’s face it, with Volusia now ranked as the most flood prone county in the State of Florida (seventh in the nation) the problem is getting harder to ignore.  But that hasn’t stopped our elected dullards in the Ivory Tower of Power at the Thomas C. Kelly Administration Building in DeLand from continuing to ignore the obvious and kick the can down the trail with frightening regularity.    

But I’m more than happy to keep pointing it out from my perch up here in the cheap seats…

Look, like Roosevelt said, no one likes to hear where the strongman stumbled, or how the doer of deeds could have done them better; however, in my view, external criticism is important to moderating an impassive, self-serving, and unresponsive bureaucracy.  

At best, I am a dilettante editorialist, at worst a blowhard with internet access – always musing on the motivations of those perennial politicians, influential insiders, and mediocre do-nothings that, in my view, are actively destroying our quality of life – clumsily plowing forward without a comprehensive vision for our future beyond the mercenary self-interests of their political benefactors.  

Over time, those figureheads on the dais of power have been conditioned to simply do as they are told, convinced that their senior staff are all-knowing soothsayers – “the truth, the light, and the way” – and any external input or criticism is never to be believed (unless, of course, they are paying a high-priced consultant to tell them what they want/need to hear…)

I take no pleasure in being the proverbial turd in the civic punchbowl.  Barker the Bitcher – the crusty curmudgeon with a jaded view, the pissed-off pessimist – always disapproving and disgruntled, tilting at windmills and challenging the perceived status quo.  

(That’s not true.  I relish the role…)   

Last week, after I took the Volusia County Council to task for their praxis of “public policy by ambush” – the art of deftly passing controversial off-the-agenda items with little, if any, public notice or input – (most recently limiting the public business meeting to just six-hours) I received a terse note from a powerful sitting politician taking me to the woodshed.

My high-powered critic accused me of ignoring the “truth and facts.” Charging that I am engaging in “character assassination” and being a “flat out bully.”

That’s rich…

This from a ranking member of that savage tribe who has routinely engaged in the worst form of political oppression, marginalization, and calumniation in suppressing Chairman Jeff Brower’s dogged efforts to urge definitive action on the most galvanizing issue of our time… 

Despite the heartburn this blogsite continues to evoke in our thin-skinned ‘powers that be’ – I plan to keep up this Quixotic pursuit of spouting one man’s jaded opinion on the issues of the day – neither always right nor always wrong. 

In my view, when it comes to the intrigues of “Fun Coast” politics and government, we desperately need an alternative opinion, a challenge to the sedating drone of a canned “media release” produced by some “public information” mouthpiece paid handsomely to spin the facts and construct a skewed narrative.

Especially now that our neutered watchdog of a local newspaper continues its transformation into a poor man’s Zagat’s guide…

While limiting public meetings to six-hours may reduce the Volusia County Council’s time on the hotseat – frustrated residents dealing with the personal and financial devastation of development-induced flooding are not going to stop demanding answers – nor should they.

And it is increasingly clear they are not going to accept the old “bureaucratic two-step” much longer.

For instance, last Thursday, Councilman Don Dempsey hosted a “town hall” in DeLand where outraged flood victims let anyone who would listen know they’re mad as hell, and they aren’t going to take it anymore.

According to an excellent report by WESH-2’s Gail Paschall-Brown:

“Volusia County Chair Jeff Brower was passionate as he spoke to residents who packed this town hall meeting Thursday night in Deland.

But he was preaching to a choir of folks who are sick and tired of being forced out of their homes or losing their livelihood due to floodwaters caused by recent hurricanes, relentless rains and development.

“There’s plenty of flooding, and with the development they’re trying to approve now going in, it’s only going to get monumentally worse,” Volusia County resident Mitch Adams said.

“We can’t continue to make those decisions and call it progress. We have to stop doing the things we know that are causing the problems,” Brower said.

The audience applauded.”

Most telling, according to the report, Volusia County’s Public Works Director Ben Bartlett fell back on Volusia County’s tired modus operandi of procrastination and bureaucratic foot-dragging – putting time and distance between the heat of the moment and what comes next.  

“What are some typical solutions you might see to come out of these studies? The first one is a traditional stormwater system, stormwater ponds to store the water during the event, gravity conveyance system to bring the water to the pond, and then some sort of gravity system with a positive outfall to take the water away,” Benjamin Bartlett said.

In my view, at the dawn of 2025, if Volusia County’s highly compensated Public Works Director, Growth and Resource Mismanagement Director, or any of County Manager George “The Wreck” Recktenwald’s senior coterie of incompetents still need more timewasting studies and analysis to address rampant flooding across the width and breadth of our region – we truly are in trouble… 

I’ve said this ad nauseum, but rather than confront the elephant in the room, our elected dullards stumble about in some stupor of conceit – unable to comprehend that We, The Little People are smart enough to understand that giving those inept senior officials who got us into this damnable infrastructure and flooding quagmire more time and money to figure a “solution” is the very definition of civic insanity.

That’s the uncomfortable truth no one in a position of power wants to address.

“What elephant?” indeed…   

No elected official who genuinely cares about the real needs of their long-suffering constituents should expect us to forgive, forget, and hand over more of our hard-earned money to those who have proven unworthy of our sacred trust.

In my view, it’s time we began that difficult discussion.

Volusia County.  Lowering the bar since 1854…

That’s all for me.  Have a great weekend, y’all!

Dear Barker’s View Readers:

Earlier this week my family suffered the tragic loss of a sweet and caring young man, taken from those who loved him far too soon.  I want to extend my deep appreciation for everyone who has kept my family in your thoughts.   

But I am not seeking your sympathy.  I want your help in preventing this far too frequent tragedy. 

Year after year, the “Fun Coast” marks one of the highest suicide rates in the state.  Last year, a shocking 119 people took their lives here in Volusia County – a grim statistic that equates to immeasurable loss for so many left behind.   

This Holiday Season if you are experiencing depression, mental health issues, substance abuse, feelings of hopelessness, suicidal thoughts, or know someone who is suffering, please reach out for help.

Confidential assistance is available by calling or texting the Suicide Prevention Hotline at 988 – or at www.988lifeline.org  – veterans can call 988 and press 1.    

“It isn’t weak to ask for help. It’s like using a flashlight when you’re lost in the dark.”

God bless & Merry Christmas, everyone.

MDB

Hi, kids!

It’s time once again to turn a jaundiced eye toward the news and newsmakers of the day who, in my cynical opinion, either contributed to our quality of life or detracted from it in some significant way…

Volusia County Council: Public Policy by Ambush.  Again.  

In my jaded view, the arrogance of ignorance that permeates the Volusia County Council is rooted in the fact our elected officials refuse to listen to the concerns of anyone other than those entrenched pseudo “experts” on the senior staff – and their uber-wealthy political benefactors – even as our community begs to be heard on the myriad issues facing the “Fun Coast.”

Look, we all understand that when we enter the halls of power at that Citadel of Self-importance that is the Thomas C. Kelly Administration Building, the rules-are-the-rules, and they are inviolate.

For We, The Little People, anyway…

Rather than demonstrate a modicum of respect for the opinions and suggestions of taxpayers who come to DeLand and provide substantive input – our elected dullards openly ignore them – sitting in stone-faced silence atop the dais of power – subliminally communicating they could give two-shits about our concerns – refusing to offer answers, engage, or even acknowledge their constituents’ physical presence in the chamber.  

Them’s the rules, folks…

Of course, the rules change whenever our wholly compromised elected officials want to indulge the frequent ploy of “Public Policy by Ambush” – voting on critical issues and changing established protocols that directly affect our lives and livelihoods on the fly – usually at the end of a meeting when most have left the chamber or video feed, strategically leaving the details off the printed agenda to prevent even the possibility of contention or public input.

As always, these subjective “rules” are different depending upon which side of the dais you’re sitting on – and that breeds frustration, animosity, and anger – perpetuating the persistent “trust issue” that continues to hamstring civic and economic progress in Volusia County.

Last month, we witnessed another contentious meeting with nearly three-hours of emotional testimony from flood victims who gathered in the chamber and an overcapacity holding room to participate in the scheduled discussion of a temporary moratorium on future development until low impact development rules can be set.   

In keeping with the script, Councilman David “No Show” Santiago pulled one of his patented parliamentary mini-moves and acted to postpone a discussion of countywide flooding – the most serious threat to the public’s health and safety in our time – giving his handlers in the real estate development industry sixty more days to ramrod fill-and-build development…  

That didn’t sit well with soggy flood victims fed up with the bureaucratic runaround.   

So, just after midnight on November 20, District 3 Councilman Danny “Gaslight” Robins decided his fellow council members were exhausted after nine-hours of ignoring citizens and rubber stamping a choreographed agenda, and suggested they vote to limit public meetings to just six-hours… 

Do you think his “suggestion” was decided upon in advance – or did Mr. Robins’ just pull that bright idea out of his ass?  

Doing his best hipster impression, Councilman Robins said, “I’m down with nighttime meetings, but sometimes nothing good comes after certain times, like 10,11.”

Although he readily accepts $49,000 of our tax dollars annually, apparently, Mr. Robins isn’t “down” with devoting himself to the people’s business if it takes more than 12-hours a month… 

Bullshit.

According to a recent article in the Ormond Beach Observer announcing the change, Councilman Robins “…added that the council often has to make decisions on agenda items that cost the county millions of dollars, and often times, council members have been up as early as 4 in the morning. Robins also mentioned staff members and the public who have to stay up late with them and go to work early the next morning.”

Awww, poor widdle things… 

For the record, there are law enforcement officers, first responders, and others providing essential services throughout Volusia County who routinely work 12-hour shifts – everyday – physical, dangerous, and mentally taxing work – never once complaining that they are required to get up early or go to bed late in service to their community.  

This legislative shim-sham has nothing to do with “Gaslight” Robins’ bedtime… 

It’s just another tactic the stagnant “Old Guard” can use to further drag their well-worn heels in a paralytic ploy to keep kicking the hard issues down the dusty trail – and prevent Chaiman Brower from bringing laborious problems like, oh, massive development-induced flooding to the agenda.  

No time for that now.

But it wasn’t all about silencing Mr. Brower – “No Show” Santiago targeted those of us pay the bills as well. 

According to the Observer, “County Councilman David Santiago suggested also reducing the time for the public to speak from the customary three minutes for efficiency purposes when the council is discussing topics that bring a lot of public participation.

“I don’t think we should stop anybody from talking, but considering limiting that time a little bit more for efficiency purposes,” Santiago said. “… We do it in the Legislature all the time.”

Guess what, Mr. Santiago? You’re not in Tallahassee anymore (unless you’re still shilling for the insurance industry?)  We, The Little People of Volusia County are demanding you stop the strategic procrastination, roll-up your sleeves, and find answers to the disastrous effects of the malignant overdevelopment you continue to lobby for behind the scenes.   

There you have it. 

Per usual, limiting meetings to six-hours without thinking the issue through resulted in another shambolic meeting on Tuesday as votes were taken to extend the meeting – it was silly and disorganized (just as Danny Robins planned) – and resulted in another opportunity for Councilman Jake Johansson to take a swipe at Chairman Brower, admonishing his failure to “…manage our own frigging meeting.”

Of course, at the end of the day, Johansson got to stage one of his petty melodramas, while important items like the County Manager and County Attorney’s annual performance evaluations were pushed to a date uncertain due to the new time limitation that has now resulted in a backlog of important action items right out of the starting gate. 

On Wednesday we learned that “Jake the Snake” wants to bring his marionette show to the Florida Senate in 2026, announcing his intention to run against former state Rep. Elizabeth Fetterhoff when the reprehensible state Sen. “Terrible” Tommy Wright’s two-term run comes to a long-awaited end…  

How could Jake possibly endure those long and strenuous Senate sessions?

Whatever.

The fact is this Council’s clockwatching mediocrity, persistent lack of definitive solutions, and near-constant reluctance to do anything of substance is becoming a huge concern to weary taxpayers – and with flooding now becoming too widespread to ignore – the pleas of waterlogged victims are quickly becoming a political liability.

So, they try and limit their exposure with an arbitrary stopwatch…  

In my view, what is being perpetrated from the dais of power in DeLand is nothing short of official malfeasance and gross neglect of duty – and limiting meeting times while allowing County Manager Recktenwald and his inept senior coterie to openly bullshit and coddle anxious residents about all the things they are doing to mitigate flooding in the face of massive citizen pushback is Exhibit A.

Do you think that gross deception will be reflected in Mr. Recktenwald’s evaluation?    

Trust me.  History will not be kind to these compromised shysters.  Nor should it.

Volusia County School Board

In September, following a tumultuous period for Volusia County Schools, the former iteration of the School Board left a parting insult to students, teachers, and staff by gifting Superintendent Carmen Balgobin a glowing performance evaluation. 

That set the stage for ‘what comes next.’

Although this information was only recently made available on the School Board’s upcoming agenda, I have it on good authority that in the leadup to the November election, lame duck Board President Jamie Haynes surreptitiously negotiated a new four-year contract with Superintendent Balgobin in preparation for the expiration of her current agreement next summer. 

You read that right.

As I understand it, Balgobin’s new contract will include goodies like a $25,000 increase in her already obscene salary (about the median income of 20% of Volusia County’s strapped population) bringing the Superintendent’s annual haul to $280,000; a $500 monthly medical stipend, unlimited use of her car at our expense, a 20-week severance, etc., etc., etc.  

In my view, with teacher pay increases stagnant at 2-3%, most of the district staff on one-year contracts, the hemorrhage of qualified personnel continuing, teachers displaced, electives cancelled, enrichment programs cut, lack of transparency, not-so-veiled nepotism, the Osceola Elementary debacle that still stings with Ormond Beach officials and residents, the Balgobin administration’s ham-handed failure to plan for the end of Covid relief funds, draconian diktats, etc. – in my view, the board’s grossly padded evaluation (“Proficient”?) and outrageous proposed pay increase represents a swift kick in the teeth to stakeholders and Volusia County taxpayers.

It’s no secret that under Balgobin’s unique brand of “leadership,” the prior School Board lost all credibility with those it exists to serve – just one reason newly elected members Donna Brosemer and Krista Goodrich were tapped by voters to cut the dead wood and affect positive change.

Unfortunately, until our newly elected members can get up to speed, the bloated Balgobin administration will remain a rudderless ship of fools – cluelessly blundering from one high-profile gaffe to another – the tail constantly wagging the dog.

In my view, now is the time for our reconstituted School Board to give Superintendent Balgobin proper notice that her contract is in jeopardy – as required by the terms of her current agreement – set reasonable performance metrics and tie any increase in her salary and benefits to those received by rank-and-file instructional personnel. 

In my view, that is fair, equitable, and grossly generous given the circumstances teachers, students, and staff continue to endure.   

The Volusia County School Board will hold a Workshop/Work Session on Tuesday, December 10, 2024, at 12:30 p.m., followed by a regular School Board meeting beginning at 4:30 p.m.

This one should be interesting…   

Port Orange Councilman Lance Green

Call me callous, but I never feel sorry for powerful elected officials who get themselves in a trick bag due to their own stupid mistakes and proclivities. 

In times past, the antidote for self-inflicted personal and political humiliation was to quietly apologize then step aside.  Because admitting a mistake, having the moral courage to accept responsibility, and do what is necessary to preserve the dignity of the office is important to restoring the public’s trust in our system of governance.

Not anymore.

On Tuesday evening, Port Orange residents looked on as Mayor Scott Stiltner, Councilman Shawn Goepfert, and Councilman Lance Green, took the solemn Oath of Office to assume their vital role as keepers of the public trust – the normal transition of power following a municipal election.

What made the evening devastatingly abnormal was that Councilman Lance Green is currently under a foul cloud – facing criminal prosecution for driving under the influence, DUI with property damage, and obstructing an officer without violence – following a September traffic crash at Williamson Boulevard and Taylor Road.  

According to a report by Frank Fernandez writing in The Daytona Beach News-Journal following then Councilman-elect Green’s arrest, we learned:

“A traffic camera video released after his arrest for DUI appears to show newly elected Port Orange Councilman Lance Green getting out of the driver’s seat of his pickup after it rear-ended another pickup, then walking around and getting in the passenger seat.

Green, who was with his wife, then claimed to police that she was driving.

The crash led to Green’s arrest 10 days after he won a seat on the Port Orange City Council, on which he would begin serving in December.”

Then, things went from bad to embarrassingly worse…

According to reports, while being questioned at the scene, Mrs. Green was captured on an officer’s body worn camera uttering the six words guaranteed to expose any self-important politician/spouse as the egomaniacal heels they are:

“Do you know who we are?”

Yeah.  I know… 

During Tuesday’s meeting, former Port Orange Fire Chief Ken Fustin – a personal hero of mine after he was publicly sacrificed on the altar of political expediency for courageously opposing the bullying and arrogance of Volusia County’s senior Public Protection staff – spoke in support of Councilman Green.

According to a News-Journal report this week, Fustin said, “Lance and his wife, Susie, made an unfortunate mistake that affected their reputation in this community,” Fustin said. “I can honestly and sincerely relate to the humiliation and criticizing they have publicly endured since that episode.”

Fustin pointed to the state statute that allows for a recall vote after 25% of an elected official’s term has expired.

“Personally, I think it will be yesterday’s news one year from now, and the citizens will hopefully be grateful for what Lance brings to the table,” Fustin added.

I disagree with Chief Fustin.

In my view, the good citizens of Port Orange should not have to hold their nose for a year (or more) as newly minted Councilman Green’s criminal charges wind their way through the judicial system – waiting for the other shoe to drop, hoping time and distance dilute the gravity and civic discomfiture of his behavior – while his constituents continue to question the character, veracity, and stability of their newly elected representative now perched on the dais of power. 

The result is a tragic loss of institutional trust – something we are beginning to see reflected everywhere – a time when we naturally expect that our politicians are compromised scoundrels, liars, cheats, or worse – and no personal, professional, or political conduct seems out of bounds.

In retirement, I relish my role as an inveterate drunk and inappropriate asshole – something I consider just deserts after a lifetime in municipal government service – where I tried hard every day to uphold the moral obligation of keeping one’s public and private life unsullied and avoiding even the appearance of impropriety.   

As Chief Fustin knows that is something easier said than done – but the personal responsibility of those who hold positions of trust.

Not anymore.  Apparently, now anything goes…    

I fear that falling expectations and the resultant loss of trust will have irreparable impacts on our system of governance. 

Hell, it already has. 

By accepting the sacred oath while under criminal prosecution for personal misconduct, I believe Councilman Green perpetuated that grim downward spiral.

While I appreciate Chief Fustin’s instinct to stand for a friend, in my view, it is important that we fight hard to ensure Councilman Green’s unfortunate situation remains the exception – not the accepted norm. 

Quote of the Week

“On the county’s east side, Halifax Urban Ministries normally coordinates with churches to get people out of the cold for a few nights. But the churches that normally step up and offer that help were not able to offer space on short notice, Halifax Urban Ministries Executive Director Buck James said Monday.

Providing overnight shelter requires finding volunteers, getting food, and offering blankets and other bedding if possible.

Daytona Beach’s First Step Shelter will move people staying in its outdoor safe zone into the First Step building, but will not be able to accommodate others seeking a warm place for the night.

“We are always a cold weather shelter, but we are limited in what we can do,” said First Step Shelter Executive Director Victoria Fahlberg. “Because we only have one person who will be here overnight, we’ll be limited to having the people in the safe zone inside.”

–Journalist Eileen Zaffiro-Keen, The Daytona Beach News-Journal, “It’s going to be chilly, but shelter for those without places to stay is available,” Monday, December 2, 2024

It’s hard to believe that almost ten-years have passed since a ragtag horde of homeless people moved from the shadows of society and prominently encamped at a former county administration building on Beach Street after the City of Daytona Beach closed restroom facilities and removed benches from Manatee Island Park.

The city’s action was nothing new; however, the well organized and unanticipated response was eye-opening – and has had a lasting impact on the way we view homelessness.

The park closing was just business as usual – the furtherance of a long-term misguided strategy of doing the same thing over-and-over again while expecting different results. 

I know all too well. 

During my productive life I dealt with the mercurial homeless “problem” for years in much the same way.  One mistake compounding another…  

The equal and opposite reaction to law enforcement’s decades-long policy of institutional humiliation as a means of “controlling” the homeless population put the issue front-and-center that cold December of 2015, when ambulatory drunks, psychotic vagrants, the sick, lame, and crazy – unfortunate souls who long-ago fell through the gaping voids in our limited civic and social services – crawled out of the relative obscurity of the palmetto scrub and into the public eye.

That very visible demonstration proved that there is nothing like 80 or 90 homeless people bedding down and relieving themselves on the sidewalk in front of a public building to bring attention to the countless issues that contribute to homelessness – and government’s historic unwillingness to address it…

In the decade since we came face-to-face with the “problem,” you and I still encounter the homeless across the width and breadth of Volusia County daily – all while various programs continue to complete for scarce funding.  

In 2017, Daytona Beach Mayor Derrick Henry sold Volusia County taxpayers on what was then described as a 24-hour 7-day a week come-as-you-are “low barrier” shelter.  That became something of a bait-and-switch letdown as what we were promised transitioned into the enigmatic (and incredibly expensive) program called First Step Shelter – something of a publicly funded invitation only “transitional homeless shelter” constructed on city owned land off International Speedway Boulevard.  

If you ask the First Step’s misguided Board of Directors, they will readily look you in the eye and gush about what a rousing success the program has been – despite the heartbreaking scenes we see outside our windshield – or the swept under the rug ugliness and internal dysfunction we all read about in the funny papers…   

Frankly, with temperatures dipping into the upper 30’s this week, I’m tired of arguing about it.  

While I continue to bitch and moan over whatever First Step Shelter is or isn’t, the day-to-day needs of those who remain unsheltered and on the streets are quietly being met by programs such as Halifax Urban Ministries, The Bridge in DeLand, the Jewish Federation’s Jerry Doliner Food Bank, and other faith based nonprofit organizations dedicated to addressing the urgent necessities of those less fortunate while seeking grassroot solutions to the growing problem of homelessness and food insecurity in Volusia County. 

As some of the coldest weather of the season descended this week, it became clear that the need for warming areas and overnight shelters far outweighed current resources as many social service providers were caught without adequate staff, space, food, or bedding to provide for those exposed to the elements. 

During this season of giving, I hope you will consider one of the many impactful programs working hard to provide for those less fortunate in Volusia County.   

A good place to start is www.halifaxurbanministries.org

Your generosity will make a true difference.

And Another Thing!  

“Sweaty America-Last RINO Randy Fine is a borderline criminal, who has ethics charges currently pending against him, was recently sentenced to “anger management classes” by a respected Florida judge, and is one of the most corrupt and despicable people to ever hold an office in Florida.  He also called Governor DeSantis an “anti-Semite.”

His voting record is worse:  RINO Randy Fine voted for the biggest tax increase in Florida history, the largest gun-control bill in Florida history, filed bills to create more woke “Hate Speech” laws, endorsed AGAINST Trump before flip-flopping, & dozens of other very bad bills.  (He also used to privately trash Donald Trump to me and many others while we were supporting Trump in the Florida Legislature.)

He is sociopath with no integrity—which is why the Florida Commission on Ethics has already found probable cause for current the charges against him.

I’ve heard several names of VERY solid people who are considering getting in the race who I will be happy to help to the utmost of my ability as the Chairman of the Lake County Republican Party, as I know our party will endorse against Fine (he is despised here).  We don’t need more RINOs in Congress.”

–Lake County Commissioner and former Florida Representative Anthony Sabatini (R) writing on X to announce he will not be running to replace Michael Waltz in the April 1 Congressional District 6 special election, Tuesday, November 26, 2024   

As someone who spent the bulk of my adult life as a registered Republican, I understand the savagery of partisan politics and the obligatory public disembowelment of one’s opponent – especially those from the opposing party.   

Just one reason I am now a confirmed No Party Affiliate.    

But the above description of Florida Senator-elect Randy Fine came from Anthony Sabatini – a veteran politician, staunch conservative, and Chair of the Lake County Republican Party…

I suspect President-elect Donald Trump knows Randy Fine about as well as he knows me. 

Because if he did, I can’t believe President Trump would endorse this bombastic buffoon to represent us here in Florida’s 6^th Congressional District.  In my view, after following Fine’s tumultuous political career, the only explanation appears to be that party operatives are playing a high-stake chess game in the weeks before Inauguration Day, and Fine’s well played role as a sycophantic opportunist finally paid off…    

Like many in Central Florida, I agree with Mr. Sabatini. 

In my view, Rep. Fine possesses the political instincts of a broke back snake – and the likeability of a flesh-eating bacterium. 

I typically steer clear of national politics in this space, but two years ago, a despicable story oozed out of Brevard County that reminded me of all the reasons I write this blog – the cathartic nature of venting my pickled spleen by pointing a jaundiced finger at ‘The Shit’ – comforted by the faint hope that my neighbors still believe some behavior should be universally reviled, even in the no-holds-barred slit-trench of modern politics.  

Simply put, citizens who see the importance of preserving the public’s trust in government should not abide bullying or abuse of position by those we elect to serve our interests – mighty politicians who use their vast power and position to intimidate and punish the defenseless – and don’t give two-shits about the collateral damage. 

Unfortunately, Mr. Fine wears those foul traits like a badge of honor.

In 2022, Central Floridians got a disturbing glimpse of his political flexing when the influential Rep. Fine was caught victimizing a Brevard County community after he felt snubbed by, of all things, his failure to receive an engraved invitation to a local fundraiser supporting Special Olympics in West Melbourne.

According to media reports, Rep. Fine got bent out of shape after the West Melbourne Police Department sent a blanket invitation to community leaders – including the Brevard County School Board – seeking participation in a “jail and bail” style fundraiser at an area fast-food restaurant – apparently neglecting to prostrate themselves and humbly beseech Mr. Fine to grace the event with his rotund presence.

What raised Rep. Fine’s wrath was that his long-time political nemesis, former Democratic Brevard School Board member Jennifer Jenkins, had agreed to participate…

Unforgiveable, right?

In a series of texts between Fine and his obsequious toady, West Melbourne City Commissioner John Dittmore – messages later published by media outlets – Rep. Fine threatened to withhold funding for Special Olympics (read that again) and a flood-mitigation project for citizens of West Melbourne… 

Over a perceived snub?

In April 2023, Florida’s neutered ethics apparatus found probable cause that Mr. Fine violated state ethics rules when he clearly appeared to threaten funding to the city of West Melbourne. 

According to a report by Florida Today, “Fine called the nonpartisan commission a “kangaroo court” and claimed its findings were politically motivated because the decision went against the recommendations of its investigator, whose staff recommended no probable cause.”

Most recently, earlier this year, a Brevard County judge held Fine in contempt of court after he was observed making obscene gestures, mouthing curse words, and wearing a campaign T-shirt during a video court hearing last summer.

According to an October 2024 report by Spectrum News 13:

“Screen shots of the hearing — which stemmed from a lawsuit filed by Robert Burns challenging Fine’s inclusion in the race for the Brevard Republican Executive Committee — were included in an order compelling the state representative to explain his actions in court. In the images, Fine can be clearly seen wearing a campaign T-shirt, and multiple screen shots showed him holding up his middle finger in different positions and making an “L” with his fingers on at least three occasions.”

Ultimately, the Judge ordered Fine to complete an eight-hour anger management course.

Of course, this rather benign accountability for his abhorrent behavior during a judicial proceeding sparked the legendary Wrath of Fine – who went on to attack witnesses, made threats to file a complaint with the Florida Bar against the prosecuting attorney, and hurled accusations that the judge engaged in misconduct…

You know, the New Sacred Ethos of the modern politician: Admit nothing.  Deny everything. Make counteraccusations…   

In my view, none of us are without warts – and the partisan fish camps that hand-select malleable candidates and political meatgrinder that awaits potential servant/leaders is why so few otherwise qualified citizens seek elective service – which increasingly leaves us with the Gumby-like dregs who have lost the human capacity for shame… 

Perhaps President-elect Trump’s transition team should revisit the Fine endorsement, vet a capable and competent resident Republican of District 6, and give us long-suffering “Fun Coast” residents something other than another disparaging dilemma at the ballot box as we elect a replacement for the highly respected Mike Waltz in Congress.  

That’s all for me.  Have a great weekend, y’all!

Hi, kids!

It’s time once again to turn a jaundiced eye toward the news and newsmakers of the day who, in my cynical opinion, either contributed to our quality of life or detracted from it in some significant way…

On Volusia: The more things change, the more they stay the same…  

When it comes to the machinations of government, the subtleties speak volumes.

Those clever codes and dog whistles that the bureaucracy uses to signal what is important to the behind-the-scenes string pullers who actually set public policy – and what is not. 

Those who determine which issues advance and which wither on the vine.

For instance, in advance of this week’s Volusia County Council meeting, I perused the agenda – specifically, a proposed ordinance that will allow five-lot subdivisions in rural and agricultural areas that meet certain specifications without the need for council approval.  Essentially, the action will now permit “…the subdivision of properties that are obviously large enough to meet all code requirements and where minimal development of infrastructure is required.”

On the agenda sheet, the purpose for the proposed ordinance was listed as “Increase Efficiency and Effectiveness of Government Operations,” one of five loose-fitting “Strategic Goals” where ordinances, resolutions, and council actions are pigeonholed for political insulation.

Attached was a three-page summary prepared by Growth and Resource Mismanagement Director Clay Ervin, complete with supporting minutes from the Planning and Land Development Regulations Commission, along with a draft of the proposed ordinance for council review. 

All neatly wrapped up in a glossy package and presented to the Council with a bow on it… 

Ergo, the bureaucracy and its supporting cast on the dais want the ability to approve small subdivisions without bringing the matter before the Council – or the public.  (It passed unanimously…)

Then I turned to the most critical issue of our time – Item 4. 

Chairman Jeff Brower’s request for a mere discussion of a proposed temporary moratorium on future development until flood mitigation and sustainable growth management regulations can be set – an emergency stopgap brought forth during Brower’s recent reelection campaign to address the most galvanizing and destructive issue of our time.

Somehow, Mr. Brower’s request didn’t meet any of the county’s identified strategic goals, including what would appear to be the items intended purpose to “Support a Solution-Oriented Culture.”  (Sorry.  I just upchucked in my mouth a little…)

To signal the opposition, the planned discussion of the “M word” was summarized as, “Chairman Brower requested this agenda item by the attached email on Saturday, November 9, 2024.”

That’s it.

The only supporting material attached to the agenda was an email sent by Chairman Brower to County Manager George “The Wreck” Recktenwald and County Attorney Michael Dyer, listing a series of “compelling arguments” and legal precedents detailing why Volusia County should consider a temporary moratorium in the face of recurrent widespread flooding:

“The suffering of our constituents and the increased danger to every resident and county property has made this complicated but important responsibility a priority for this council. I believe we can and will accept the challenge put before us by the recent devastating damage and loss of our constituent’s property and future. I thank you for your consideration and I believe the public expects us to act decisively, boldly, and thoughtfully.”

Later in the week, a letter from Chairman Brower seeking cooperation from area municipal governments was attached.   

What do you think County Manager Recktenwald ($259,041 annually, not including benefits) and his paralytic senior staff was communicating to decision makers? 

That’s why it wasn’t a surprise to anyone paying attention when, on cue, things worked out just as they had been scripted ahead of time. 

Before the agenda had been approved, Councilman David “No Show” Santiago set the stage for kicking that rusty can down the dusty political trail – moving to wait for a minimum of “60-days” before even discussing flooding, because “I don’t have enough information to make a decision,” Santiago said.

After Santiago and the other do-nothings on the dais expended a lot of hot air justifying why, after years of flooding and decades of strategic procrastination on adopting low impact development practices, they still need more time to even talk about the most devastating problem of our time?

Callously, the remainder of the Council unanimously agreed on a 6-0 vote (with Councilman Matt Reinhart absent) to a “special meeting” on January 14, 2025…  

It was another public castration of Chairman Brower – and a slap in the face to the overflow crowd of soggy residents who jammed both the main gallery and a holding room downstairs – to demand that their elected representatives take action to mitigate flooding in Volusia County.

During citizen participation, the elected officials sat stone-faced while countless constituents gave nearly three-hours of emotional testimony, openly pleading for action on development-induced flooding – interspersed with a few developers, real estate brokers, commercial construction companies, and “economic development” shills – who told flashlight under the chin scary stories about how even a temporary moratorium on future development would result in financial Armageddon for those in the trades…   

Bullshit. 

At present, there is enough rehabilitation work in Volusia County to keep a construction company in business for generations…

Per usual, in the end, the institutionalized status quo of stagnation and mediocrity prevailed. 

And those with a chip in the game got sixty more days to fill and build…

Between County Manager Recktenwald’s hypnotic monotone, the asinine finger pointing, the handwringing hypocrisy, timewasting spit/spats, and David Santiago’s stall tactics and name-calling, the devastating issue of regional flooding almost got lost in the bureaucratic ether. 

Just as “No Show” Santiago intended… 

Once again, the same tired names in the cloistered halls of the Thomas C. Kelly Administration Building who got us into this mess in the first place will be given even more money – then permitted to cover their previous mistakes and formulate a “solution” to get us out of it. 

While the bulldozers continue to roar.

The very definition of insanity.

Perhaps it is time for frustrated victims of Volusia County’s growth at all cost strategy to demand federal and state agencies with the responsibility for protecting the public trust investigate the myriad allegations, whispered suspicions, and murky alliances at all levels of government that have resulted in this malicious foot-dragging on a clear and present danger to public health and safety? 

I’m asking. 

Because this choreographed strategic procrastination in the face of such widespread human suffering is obscene.

Whispering Sweet Nothings = Big Embarrassment for Volusia County Council

“Whoever is dishonest in little things will be dishonest in big things too.”

–Luke 16:10

Recently, reporter Sheldon Gardner published an important article in The Daytona Beach News-Journal blowing the whistle on a controversial but all too frequent practice: Off-the-record conversations between Volusia County Council members during public meetings.

In my view, Gardner’s excellent exposé left our embarrassed elected representatives scrambling to clarify if they are surreptitiously discussing official business in direct violation of Florida’s Sunshine Law – or just aloof, detached, and condescendingly inattentive to the ‘people’s business’ – safe in the knowledge that the decisions have already been made behind closed doors? 

Is there another explanation? 

For instance, during a Volusia County Council meeting earlier this year, a resident of Port Orange attempted to address her representatives regarding the noise and flooding many believe will accompany Councilman Don Dempsey’s proposed publicly funded motocross track – something that remains an issue of grave public concern – and residents want their voices heard.

As she spoke, the all-to-clubby Councilmen Danny “Gaslight” Robins and “Jake the Snake” Johansson struck up a private conversation in the middle of her appeal – arrogantly ignoring a citizen’s input – while chatting it up about who knows what off the microphone.

To her credit, the concerned resident paused and politely asked if she were interrupting before continuing with her presentation.   

A telling moment… 

According to the News-Journal’s report, “At the council meeting on Sept. 17, multiple councilmen spoke with each other off the microphone. District 4 Councilman Vice Chair Troy Kent and District 1 Councilman Don Dempsey engaged in a conversation that no one could hear.”

“It’s a common scenario at Volusia County Council meetings. Councilmen regularly make off-the-microphone comments to one another during meetings that no one can hear in the meeting room or on the recordings posted online. While councilmen assert they’re not talking about public business, an official with the Florida Center for Government Accountability said off-the-microphone comments shouldn’t happen either way.”

In Florida, public meetings must be open and accessible to everyone. 

In fact, state law holds that elected officials who discuss business that may come before them outside of a duly noticed public meeting can face a noncriminal infraction with a fine of up to $500 – or “a misdemeanor charge that could come with jail time, a fine, or both.”

Per usual, those council members who have been caught whispering sweet nothings now attempt to marginalize and dismiss the valid concerns of their constituents: 

“It’s small talk like, ‘How’s your family?'” Dempsey said.

Johansson said he might ask Robins to pass him a piece of candy or something trivial like that.

“What time’s dinner? What are you doing tomorrow morning?” Johansson said.

You know, just your typical backslappin’ ‘good ‘ol boy’ banter among buddies…  

“Robins said he doesn’t discuss any public business with other councilmen off the microphones.

“If I do talk to another council person up there, it is above board,” he said.

District 5 Councilman David Santiago described the off-the-mic chatter as “normal casual conversations” that never drift into policy.

“People are going to assume you’re doing something wrong. It’s probably sometimes because it’s what they would do,” Santiago said.

District 2 Councilman Matt Reinhart described the chats as discussions of everyday life, like Robins’ fishing trips, but nothing policy-related.

“First off, I know better,” Reinhart said.

Kent said that sometimes during the hours long meetings, a councilman may ask about his personal life or vice versa.”

Bullshit.  Talk fishing on your own damn time…        

Perhaps Councilman “No Show” Santiago should understand that We, The Little People naturally “assume” his off-the-record conversations are out-of-bounds – because they are – and his cheap counteraccusations only raise more questions about his skeevy practices both on and off the dais…  

It’s called “character” Mr. Santiago.  Look that concept up in your County Council Handbook.    

For his part, Chairman Jeff Brower told the News-Journal he plans to police the meetings closer in the future.  “I really don’t want a circus on the Council. I’m really going to start just politely calling it out and letting them know anything that is said is public comment, so they need to share it with everybody,” he said.”

To his credit, none of his chatty “colleagues” on the dais of power speak to Mr. Brower.  About anything. The sad fact is, Brower has been frozen out of the Ivory Tower of Power so hard he should be wearing an arctic parka…

Find the News-Journal’s informative piece here: https://tinyurl.com/mwm69cs2

Another concerning aspect of Volusia County’s “trust issue” was brought to my attention earlier this week when a Barker’s View reader wrote to ask if I knew why county government has failed to post council meeting minutes since June? 

Good question…

More important, the concerned citizen wanted to know why, after repeated attempts to communicate with her council members, none of our elected officials have bothered to respond to a taxpayer’s legitimate question? 

What gives?

Perhaps the resident is being blatantly ignored because she didn’t throw enough money around during election cycles?

On Tuesday, the Council voted to approve minutes from May 7, 2024, July 16, 2024, a July 23, 2024, Workshop, and the August 20, 2024, September 17, 2024, meetings. 

With a record budget now topping $1.6 Billion (you read that right), one would think someone inside that monstrously bloated, uncaring, and unwieldy machine could compile and post meeting minutes in a timely manner…

In the meantime, John & Jane Q. can wait to research issues and actions important to their lives and livelihoods until it’s convenient to the bureaucracy.

Then, just after midnight Wednesday morning, in another of example of an off-the-agenda public policy by ambush – the Volusia County Council voted 6-0 (with Reinhart absent) to limit their meetings to six hours, further pushing important issues down the dusty political trail and ensuring our elected representatives don’t exhaust themselves bumping their gums, obfuscating the issues, and avoiding the very real needs of Volusia County residents.

Of course, they forgot to vote on a corresponding reduction in their $48,926 annual stipend for a part-time job now limited to 12-hours each month (not including the all-important dinner break) …

I don’t make this shit up, folks.      

In my jaded view, these serious issues serve as another ugly example of the hubris and political arrogance that permeates every aspect of Volusia County government – from the top down.

The rules are for We, The Little People.  Nothing to see here, folks.  Keep moving…

In my view, these recurring public integrity questions, gross government inefficiency, and recurrent transparency issues highlight the “We do what we want, when we want” culture that exists whenever unbridled power and a sense of infallibility lead those in public office to believe the rules no longer applies to them in matters large and small.   

Quote of the Week

“Heated debates erupted at a Volusia County Council meeting Tuesday as residents demanded action on a proposed moratorium on new construction, aimed at addressing widespread flooding issues caused by recent hurricanes. 

Hundreds packed the meeting, frustrated by the council’s decision to delay a vote. The board opted to push the matter to a special meeting within the next 60 days, a move that drew boos, interruptions, and impassioned pleas from attendees. 

“You’d have to be deaf and dumb not to see how people are suffering,” one resident said during the meeting. “We know what you’re doing — you’re trying to get around it.” 

Many residents still displaced by Hurricane Milton shared their struggles. Pam Teator, holding back tears, pleaded for empathy. 

“As you go home today and prepare to sleep in your bed, please think of those of us who can’t do that,” she said. “As you prepare for the upcoming holiday, and you gather around your table at Thanksgiving, please think of those who can’t do that.” 

Others took a more direct approach. Allison Reaves of DeLand criticized the council for what he called a lack of response. 

“We have a flooding nightmare. All these people are hurting,” Reaves said. 

Tensions flared not only among residents but also between council members themselves. Heated exchanges included accusations of dishonesty and inaction.”

–Fox 35 News, “Volusia County residents weary from flooding clash with council over construction moratorium,” Wednesday, November 20, 2024

Volusia County flood victims are beginning to realize the depth to which those elected marionettes on the dais of power in DeLand will go to protect the very lucrative profit motives of those in the development community who fund their rise to power each election.

After that insult to all that is right and just on Tuesday, it should now be painfully obvious to Volusia County taxpayers exactly who controls the rods and strings of those well-choreographed puppet shows they stage twice a month (now limited to just six-hours…), which serve mainly to spend money, ram through zoning changes, defer impact fees, and rubber stamp more development.  

Most disappointing, Chairman Jeff Brower, who was recently returned to office with a citizen mandate to ramrod change on that ossified dais – continues to vote in lockstep with the very shills and obstructionists who tried their damndest to end his political career earlier this month.

So much for all that taking off the gloves, horseshit, eh? 

In my view, Brower should have opened this week’s charade by calling for the resignations of County Manager George Recktenwald, Director of Growth and Resource Mismanagement Clay Ervin, and Public Works Director Ben Bartlett.

That’s taking the gloves off – and a damn good start to solving the historical and intractable development-induced problems we face…  

In the words of the great Father Phil Egitto, pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes in Daytona Beach, who spoke to the Volusia County Council on Tuesday, “Nothing changes, if nothing changes…”

And Another Thing!

As a veteran watcher of politics and governance here on this salty spit of land we call home, I understand better than most what our democratic process has devolved into.    

For instance, political campaigns for non-partisan Volusia County Council seats have for years been dominated by massive campaign contributions from influential insiders and skewed by blatant falsehoods printed on “glossy mailers” that are paid for with mysterious “dark money” that originates from equally enigmatic political action committees.

Even staunch Republicans have been left reeling by the shim-sham schemes of the Republican Executive Committee of Volusia and its dictatorial leadership who continue to engage in pay-to-play politics, endorsing anyone their uber-wealthy overseers tell them to support…  

Through habituation, I’ve become hardened by what passes for politics in Volusia County.   

After a lifetime spent in municipal government, with time and repetitive insult, I’ve developed a thick callous on my psyche that protects my fragile sanity from the hype and horseshit of the campaign cycle.   

That said, I must admit, the postelection kabuki performed by petty politicians (or their proxies) who attempt to rewrite history and paint themselves as victims still bothers me.  Because it is disingenuous and self-serving – caustic bilge that erodes the public trust.   

For instance, last week, Volusia County Councilman Matt Reinhart’s wife – who bills herself as a behind-the-scenes master of all political trades, “…Matt’s campaign manager, campaign treasurer, and responsible for his social media posts, and website,” published a diatribe on the popular social media site Volusia Issues decrying the “falsehoods,” “untruths,” “hostility,” and “slander” her delicate husband and “other candidates” were forced to endure during his recent reelection campaign.   

Mrs. Reinhart mewled, in part:

“The recent election was marred by numerous falsehoods presented as facts, particularly regarding “donations” from a candidate running for office. There was rhetoric suggesting that the council answers to donors rather than residents, along with other forms of misinformation that quickly spread on social media and at polling stations.

Due to Matt’s election, I stayed away from all political commentary and even the untruths that were spread about him and other candidates.

I cannot tell you how many falsehoods and fabricated stories I read about my husband and other candidates.

While people are entitled to their opinions, remember these candidates have families that love them, and it is painful to read the lies and the character assignation of your spouse or family member.”

Most shocking was the fact Mrs. Reinhart saw fit to post her spleen-venting harangue under numerous pictures of her family, children, and grandchildren (?). 

In doing so, she broke the cardinal rule of never parading family into the shit-pit of politics in some cheap attempt to garner sympathy – especially for a powerful elected official who accepts public funds to serve in the public interest – yet apparently can’t stand the heat of public scrutiny and righteous criticism come election time.  

In my view, the real reason for Mrs. Reinhart’s screed was to clean up that quid pro quo soiree that is the RECV’s annual Lincoln Dinner.

During the election, many longtime Volusia County Republicans were rightfully repulsed when they learned County Chair candidate “Car Guy” Randy Dye made an after-the-fact $5,000 donation to the RECV (ostensibly payable to the Lincoln Dinner) – then saw his name placed on the “Official Republican Voter Guide” – while Chairman Jeff Brower (also a Republican) was conspicuously omitted – even though he carried the August primary…

As questions of impropriety swirled, civic activist Cathrine Pante perfectly summarized the suspicions of many voters in a well-researched piece on the popular social media site Protect Volusia:  

“Exactly 8 days after the August 20th Primary, In which Jeff Brower captured 42% of the vote and Randy Dye 28 % in a four way race.  Randy Dye made a $5000 dollar donation, to the REC.  After this donation, The REC used Rule 8 in a sham vote to sideline Jeff Brower and keep him off the voter guide which is mailed to all Republicans and passed out at the polls.”

It just so happens that Mrs. Reinhart was the “Co-Chair for the 2024 Lincoln Dinner in Volusia County…”

Yeah.  I know.  In Volusia County, it helps to be a member of the inner circle…

In Simonizing the facts, Mrs. Reinhart wrote, in part:

“Sponsors of the Lincoln Dinner can buy tables ranging in price from $3,000 to $10,000. Their sponsorship includes complimentary valet parking, acknowledgment in the program, access to a Sponsor/VIP reception with an open bar and appetizers, and dinner accompanied by guest speakers.

VIP and dinner tickets are available for purchase. Most guests opt to pay in advance of the dinner, while some sponsors and a few guests choose to pay post-event. Payments are made via checks sent through mail, addressed to RECVC.

The candidate in question sponsored a table and paid after the event in late August. There was no nefarious activity that went on behind the scenes.”

Says who? 

In addition, Councilman Reinhart took criticism after accepting campaign donations from influential insiders – ultimately accumulating a war chest over $118,000 – more than twice that of his largely self-funded grassroot opponent.

In an informative article by reporter Sheldon Gardner writing in The Daytona Beach News-Journal before the election we learned:

“Reinhart’s top donors include businesses associated with developer Mori Hosseini, Cici and Hyatt Brown, of Brown and Brown Insurance, and associated entities and businesses; and entities related to the Avalon Park development and its officials.

Avalon Park Daytona Beach is expected to add 7,878 homes and a million square feet of commercial space on the south side of State Road 40/West Granada Boulevard, about a mile west of Interstate 95. As of January, the developers still needed to resolve concerns over traffic and wetlands, among other issues.

Reinhart defends the donations.

“These are individuals that reach out to me that are not looking for favors. They’re looking for good government,” he said.”

Of course they are…

Either Mrs. Reinhart is a sore winner, or she needs to learn something about ‘selling past the close…’

In my view, as a political operative, Mrs. Reinhart should understand that long-suffering Volusia County residents continue to deal with the fallout of a lack of representation and her husband’s staunch defense of the stagnant status quo.

That includes the unchecked sprawl, lack of preparedness and infrastructure to manage the massive growth to come, refusing to demand that developers to pay their fair share, and the cowardly inability of the Volusia County Council to reign in what residents perceive as the backroom collusions and return on investment that brought us to this sad, desperate, and increasingly waterlogged place in our history.

I don’t know about you, but as a Volusia County taxpayer – I want to hear directly from my elected representative on social media and websites – not from his doting ghostwriter, Mrs. Reinhart. 

She hasn’t been elected to anything…  

In my view, this pathetic shrinking violet act – wallowing in butthurt self-pity after winning a relatively benign campaign – paints the already weak Councilman Reinhart as even more ineffectual than his performance proves, as he dutifully fulfills his minor supporting role of voting in lockstep conformity with his fellow marionettes. 

Not a good look…

Grow some bark, Councilman Reinhart.

Seeking sympathy while your constituents are suffering is poor optics.  Your campaign manager should understand that.

To those much is given, much is expected – and your constituents are now demanding answers to the tough questions.  They need comprehensive solutions to the serious problems that are destroying their property values and quality of life this time around – and more obstructionism and procrastination is immoral and unacceptable.   

That’s all for me.  Have a great weekend, y’all!   

_______________

In keeping with tradition, Barker’s View will take a break next week as we join with family and friends to celebrate the Thanksgiving – a time to reflect and give grateful appreciation for all the wonderful gifts in our lives.

The friendship and loyalty of Barker’s View readers is a great blessing for me – and whether we agree or disagree on the issues of the day – I thank you for taking the time to read and consider an alternative opinion.  

My sincere hope is that you and yours enjoy all the bounty and blessings of this Joyous Season!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Hi, kids!

It’s time once again to turn a jaundiced eye toward the news and newsmakers of the day who, in my cynical opinion, either contributed to our quality of life or detracted from it in some significant way…

The City of Edgewater Sets a Bold Example

In my recent autopsy of our local election results, I took some criticism for voicing the view that Volusia County Council Chair Jeff Brower’s victory represents a “mandate” for direct action on those environmental and growth issues he championed during his tumultuous first term.   

A reader suggested that my “…use of the word “mandate” in connection with a county-wide election having a margin of about 7,000 votes (about a percentage point) is ill-advised. More accurately, that’s a “squeaker.”

Although I hate explaining myself, the fact is, Mr. Brower’s grassroots campaign was outspent (4:1), he was openly maligned by his elected “colleagues” on the dais (who beat Brower like a borrowed mule at the bidding of their well-heeled overseers), he was falsely accused in a mysteriously funded glossy mailer of mollycoddling sex offenders, while his opponent received the ringing endorsement of all the right last names and the Republican Executive Committee of Volusia ran interference – yet, he still emerged victorious on a platform focused on smart growth initiatives.

So, I’ll stick to my original assessment… 

In my view, given all the internal and external obstacles he overcame, Brower’s win represents a clear citizen mandate for addressing the impacts of malignant growth on existing residents, infrastructure, and public utilities.

As evidence of that, just days before the election, Chairman Brower appeared on the steps of the Volusia County Courthouse in Daytona Beach flanked by flood victims to call for a temporary moratorium on development until a flood mitigation plan can be reached.

The angry response from development shills like District 3 Councilman Danny “Gaslight” Robins, At-Large Representative “Jake the Snake” Johansson, and Daytona Beach Mayor Derrick Henry was telling – and demonstrated just how far some compromised politicians will go to kiss the sizeable asses of their political benefactors – always to the detriment of their waterlogged constituents.

Now, some observers are suggesting that the meanspirited kabuki staged by Robins and Johansson in the face of devastated flood victims represents what’s to come in Brower’s second term – others believe it signaled the exact second Jake and Danny’s political careers ended…

To prove the urgency many elected representatives across the region are giving the problem, last week the Edgewater City Council held a workshop to discuss two proposed moratoriums – a temporary pause to give them time to address flooding in the heavily affected community.

One would limit residential development citywide with exceptions for commercial development and Hurricane Milton repairs.  The other would place a hold on the issuance of building permits that may “increase impervious surfaces” in the Florida Shores Drainage Basin.

According to an informative piece by reporter Brenno Carillo writing in The Daytona Beach News-Journal, the Florida Shores moratorium “…would stop “consideration of building permits that would increase impervious surface area, such as, but not limited to, new single-family homes, additions, detached garages, sheds, pools, driveways, patios on any parcel within the Florida Shores Drainage Basin” area, according to the presentation.”

In addition, “The other moratorium would be citywide and imposed “on the consideration of annexations, rezonings, comprehensive plan amendments, site plans, preliminary plats and final plats,” according to Solstice.

The measure would only affect residential developments, not commercial or industrial projects.”

To his credit, Edgewater’s man-child Mayor Deizel Depew said he “cannot in good faith” approve more development until a comprehensive stormwater masterplan is in place.  

“I’ve lived in Florida Shores my whole, entire life,” DePew, 20, said. “We don’t know where our current watershed is going, we have several developments that have come on board since 2014. (The stormwater masterplan) needs to be updated as fast as can be.”

In my view, if Edgewater can see the dire need to tap the brakes while they evaluate changes to how and where they develop in the face of recurrent flooding, why can’t Volusia County take the lead on controlling fill and build development practices, improve stormwater management, and work cooperatively with the municipalities to find answers?   

That’s rhetorical… 

In my view, the glaringly obvious answer is the voracious greed of a real estate development industry that owns the political souls of the majority of the Volusia County Council – most of whom are bought and paid for marionettes with inherently corrupt instincts and an egoistic need to be considered part of the “in-crowd” – dull tools who dutifully serve their master’s to the detriment of those of us who are expected to pay the bills and suffer in silence. 

According to reports, Edgewater officials will hold a townhall meeting from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, November 18, at the Bella Vista Baptist Church, 3232 South Ridgewood Avenue. 

Residents will be provided additional information on flood mitigation efforts and have an opportunity to ask questions.  In my view, if Edgewater officials hold the course and use lessons learned to form best practices, this dynamic community-oriented approach could be a blueprint for how Florida governments ultimately address development induced flooding.

DIY Engineering in Palm Coast?

Unlike the City of Edgewater, it appears Palm Coast officials are opting to deal with development induced and infill flooding by not dealing with it… 

Sound familiar?

When angry homeowners stormed Palm Coast City Hall last fall demanding answers to a flawed drainage system that allows runoff from new development and infill projects to flood adjoining properties, a temporary moratorium proposed by City Council member Theresa Pontieri was quickly nixed by the shortsighted majority. 

Instead, the city’s building and stormwater departments tweaked language in a “technical manual” that (finally) placed responsible height limits – no more than 22 inches above the crown of the road or more than a 10-inch height difference between the floor elevation of neighboring homes – on future growth. 

But what about waterlogged existing Palm Coast residents?

Well, dust off your civil engineering degrees, folks… 

Unbelievably, City officials – in cooperation with something called the Residential Drainage Advisory Committee – will now offer homeowners five cubic yards of city owned “surplus dirt” to use as they see fit to control stormwater runoff flowing from adjacent lots.

You read that right.

According to city press release, “It’s important to note that drainage fixes are not one-size-fits-all. Each property has unique needs, and some projects may require additional steps. If machinery is used to spread the dirt on the premises, homeowners will need to obtain a grading permit issued by the City of Palm Coast. The permit ensures compliance with local regulations and helps maintain proper drainage functionality.”

A grading permit will set resident’s back $82 bucks.

To fix a problem the City of Palm Coast created?

Whatever…

Because the City of Palm Coast cannot legally use public funds for private benefit, to keep things on the up-and-up, the “surplus” dirt will be available to all taxpaying residents of Palm Coast – not just those experiencing flooding. 

According to the release, the program has been assisted by a local surveyor who conducted surveys of 29 residential properties to help identify areas in “need of improvement.”

What could go wrong?

During a meeting earlier this week, bewildered Palm Coast residents voiced their logical concerns. 

According to an article in the Ormond Beach Observer:

“I’m telling you right now, this is not going to work,” resident Celia Pugliese said.

P Section resident Jeremy Davis has been one of the council’s most vocal critics on how the council and city has responded to residents’ drainage issues. He has told his story multiple times: a house was built in the empty lot next to his at a much higher height and since then, he said he has had water coming on to his property and even in his home that was never there before.

Davis called the 5 cubic yards offered “hilarious.”

“That’s not going to help me,” Davis said. “This is a waste of my time.”

Davis said it would be equally unfair for residents like himself to be required to pay for a permit to fix a problem caused by city staff and builders approving a home built higher than existing homes.

“Come up with real solutions,” Davis said.”

I agree with incredulous Palm Coast residents – but bureaucrats know that real problem solving can get expensive and time-consuming – while kicking the can down the dusty political trail costs nothing…

So, it appears the City of Palm Coast is opting to permit shade tree hydrological engineers to develop a hodgepodge of drainage “fixes” – 29 competing solutions, each designed to manage flooding on individual parcels – without ever addressing the mercurial problem of stormwater management.   

Look, there’s a reason doctors suggest you don’t remove your own inflamed appendix – or perform a root canal on that touchy molar – because those procedures are better left to trained professionals. Educated, experienced, and credentialed experts who can diagnose the problem holistically, find a solution, and develop a comprehensive treatment plan without doing more harm in the process.

In my view, like the remainder of Florida, the massive municipality of Palm Coast has been set upon by elected development shills who weaseled their way onto the dais of power and took full advantage of the shambolic dysfunction that permeates the City Council to foment more, more, more malignant growth and willy-nilly residential infill without any viable plan or smart growth regulations.

Now it is time for cities and counties who have adopted growth at all cost development strategies to be held legally and politically liable for permitting what they knew or should have known would have catastrophic impacts on existing residents.

In my view, that level of officially sanctioned negligence should be criminal…

Quote of the Week

“Several residents who live near the future development spoke before the board at its meeting on existing flooding issues, and voiced concerns that the development of Ormond Crossings will worsen conditions.

“It floods even if you do not have a hurricane, very, very badly,” Ormond Beach resident Jordan Huntley said.

Resident Darrel Bugno said he’s lived in his home in Durrance Lane for over 25 years and has experienced water in front of his driveway over 3-and-a-half feet deep.

“It happened last year,” he said. “It happened this year. And what’s going to happen next year? If this goes in, the people who have houses out there are all going to flood out. Water came within 10 feet of my house.”

On behalf of Ormond Crossings’ developer, representative Jamie Poulos said that as the development moves forward in more detail, a master stormwater plan will be created, to be reviewed by the city, the county St. Johns River Water Management District and FEMA.”

–Jarleene Almenas, Ormond Beach Observer, “Ormond Crossings amendment gets OK by Ormond Beach Planning Board,” Wednesday, October 30, 2024  

In the hubbub of the election, the first amendment to the slumbering behemoth known as Ormond Crossings escaped mention. 

For the uninitiated, the 3,000-acre project dates to 2002 when Ormond Beach was a much different place and will span the east and west side of I-95 and areas south of US-1, blanketing areas of Volusia and Flagler counties with 2,950 residential units and some 2.5 million square feet of retail, office, light industrial and warehouse space.

According to the Ormond Observer, last month, the Ormond Beach planning board voted to approve a request from the developer of Ormond Crossings to allow single-family homes in place of multifamily units in a portion of the property south of U.S. 1.

“Why the change from multifamily to single-family? Poulos said it’s because of the wetlands.

“We’re trying to minimize wetland impacts,” he said.”

Sure they are… 

I found it disturbing that while plans are moving swiftly through the approval process, the developer has yet to produce a master stormwater plan detailing how they will mitigate flooding concerns – especially now that longtime area residents have made it clear the area is already susceptible – going on record that the thousands of residential units proposed for Ormond Crossings will only exacerbate the problem. 

This one’s important.  Because if they get it wrong, our grandchildren will pay the price…

My hope is that Ormond Beach’s new Mayor Jason Leslie will provide the strong leadership necessary to address how development amendments are considered (let alone approved) without so much as a comprehensive stormwater plan in place – all while the experiential concerns of frightened existing residents are glossed over by some developer’s mouthpiece with a chip in the game.   

And Another Thing!

On Monday, I watched as the Deltona City Commission interrupted Veteran’s Day observances to hold a special meeting during which the solemn oath of office was administered to four newly elected members.    

A heady celebration of what many long-suffering resident’s hope foretells new beginnings, rather than more of the same…  

Time will tell. 

As I watched the transfer of power in the Lost City of Deltona – the typical ceremonial pomp, with the freshman commission members preening and posing for photographs with their proud families – I thought it fortunate that attendees were spared the acrimony many feared when former Commissioner “Jody Lee” ominously threatened to “name names” regarding what he described as “election interference” and issues with charter officers in a post-election interview with the West Volusia Beacon.  

In fact, neither “Jody Lee” or former Commissioner Dana McCool attended the special meeting…

Which was disappointing. 

But hard feelings run deep in politics – especially in Wild West Volusia… 

The last thing the longsuffering residents of Deltona need is more posturing and melodrama from the dais of power – and regardless of the venom and rancor of the campaign season – continuity of governance and confidence in our sacred democratic process demand an orderly transition. 

Unfortunately, despite the hopes of a new majority, Deltona’s external interests and influences were palpable in the Commission Chambers – like worms in the wood that forms the very structure of governance in that troubled place – entrenched, damaging, and hard to see from the outside looking in.

But on Monday, hope reigned supreme for long-suffering residents desperate for a way forward.

Those necessary changes begin with strong leadership. 

An end to bullying, obstructionism, and playing the martyred victim – more honest dialog, transparency, and attention to the real needs of those who pay the bills – less deference to influential special interests.    

My stock in trade is poking fun and making snide observations on the abject absurdity inherent to local politics – a jaundiced look at the weird machinations of governance here on Florida’s “Fun Coast” – my take on the interesting characters both in front and behind the curtain who manipulate the rods and strings.

In retirement, offering unsolicited advice, criticizing those actually in the arena, and pointing out where the strongman stumbled has become a guilty pleasure of mine.  After a lifetime in public service, these often-caustic screeds are cathartic – an ipecac of sorts – a creative outlet that helps purge my craw of the issues of the day…

The fact is, during a lengthy career in municipal government, I learned a few things about the importance of local governance and the delivery of essential services, including the actual role of elected officials in how the sausage gets made and the significance of accountability, accessibility, transparency, and trust.     

I originally posted a version of these maxims following the hotly contested elections of 2020, sort of an “Idiot’s Guide to local Governance” from an uneducated rube who clawed his way to middle management and hung on by my fingernails… 

In my view, these lessons remain relevant for newly elected officials, and a reminder for those incumbents who continue to wield power from their respective dais of power.   

During the campaign season, I took in the pie-in-the-sky goals of some of our newly elected officials who are about to experience their first sweet taste of power and influence in the microcosm of a local or regional government – where the haughty trappings of office and the obsequious fawning of their “new friends” with ulterior motives can be more intoxicating than 101 proof bourbon.

Meeting those highfalutin goals won’t be easy for most – and downright impossible for some – especially in places like the gilded Volusia County Council chamber where Chairman Jeff Brower learned a few things during his first term about what happens to campaign promises and legislative effectiveness when a square peg refuses to be forced into the round hole of conformity…

During my productive life, I once heard a story from a newly minted city commissioner who was invited to a congratulatory dinner by a prominent real estate developer.  The incredibly impressed neophyte politician – a service industry worker by trade – was over the moon with newfound hubris when the wealthy businessman paid for his dinner and drinks with a flashy “Black” American Express Centurion card.

It was an effective prop, of course.  The trappings of success.    

A physical reminder of all the fine things money and power can bring, and I thought how easily alliances are changed, ethics compromised, and campaign promises ignored when the butcher, the baker, and the candlestick maker enter this heady new world – a place where they are finally treated like “equals” by people who wouldn’t have given them the time of day before the election – a slippery slope where wide-eyed novice politicians are told anything is possible with the right application of the people’s money. 

An ultimately cruel and unforgiving place where the losers are immediately forgotten, like so much worthless rubbish when they no longer hold value for those once ingratiating “friends” who stand at the nexus of public funds and private profit motives.

Nobody said public service would be easy.  If someone did, they lied to you.   

Trust me – you’re going to hear a lot of artful avarice and misrepresentations during your term. 

If I were to purchase a gift for newly elected politicians preparing to take their seat it would be a simple hand mirror.

When the time comes – and it will – when the crown lays heavy and the feeling of infallibility overcomes the willingness to listen, when neighbors are screaming for their head, and chippie critics like me are bitching about how they screwed up the difficult calls, when compromising their personal ethics would be the easiest course, or when special interests who contributed to their campaign lobby hard for a controversial vote – they could use that mirror to take an introspective look at themselves and remember all the reasons why they sought to serve in the first place. 

To those ascending or returning to high office, here are some things I learned after a long public life that may help once the euphoria of the “big win” and self-aggrandizing celebrations have ended. 

Consider it the last gift you’ll receive with no strings attached:

Those rubber-chicken dinners – elegant “galas” with haughty elbow rubbing, ego massaging speeches, and silly plaques are not important.  Coffee with a concerned constituent is.

All people really want is to be heard.

Pay attention to those who pay the bills.  Make a place at the table for your constituents, hear them out, respect their hard-earned opinions, fight for their right to participate in a meaningful way, then incorporate their suggestions into the decision-making process.

Humility, and a true willingness to admit honest mistakes – then working hard to correct them – is omnipotent to winning and keeping the public’s trust.  Never forget that people can forgive those errors and omissions they see themselves making.

Your constituents – your neighbors – understand that you are human, but they expect and deserve a commitment to the ultimate in ethical, moral, and honorable behavior that respects human dignity, obeys the rule of law, and brings honor to public service. 

That means keeping your public and private life unsullied as an example to all.

(Read that again.)

Citizens also demand that their elected representatives hold themselves and others in positions of power accountable for their actions. 

Anything less weakens the system.

As hard as it may seem at the time, effective servant-leaders use the withering criticism they receive as a barometer of community sentiment.  The loudest person in the room is not always right. 

They aren’t always wrong either.  

You can always tell when an elected official has gotten their feelings hurt when they drone on from the dais, sugarcoating their “service” and “accomplishments,” rewriting recorded history, marginalizing their detractors, and labeling critics “liars” – all while heaping accolades on senior staff members who sooth their ego by telling them exactly what they want to hear.

That sense of elitism springs organically in the cloistered Halls of Power…

When making decisions on development and zoning amendments, consider our fragile environment and water source. That’s not the popular approach with the “Rich & Powerful,” but protecting wildlife and greenspace should be nonnegotiable.

I encourage you to support those career civil servants who do the heavy lifting and deliver essential services to the community.  Listen to their suggestions and never use them as pawns or scapegoats for political expediency.

They were here when you came, and they will remain when you leave…

Demand exacting standards of excellence from the city/county manager – he or she holds more cards than any one elected official – and they are the gatekeeper to the information you need to make an informed decision. 

Give the executive the courtesy of frequent, fair, and objective performance reviews – criticize privately and praise the team’s effort publicly – so the manager always knows where they stand, what you expect, and how they can improve.

These professionals earn a lot of money and perquisites because they understand the responsibilities and volatility inherent to managing a machine with a lot of moving parts that is fueled by public funds.  

Should the time come, never hesitate to change tack, and bring new vision and leadership to the team.  In my experience, holding onto bad managers for the sake of short-term “stability” is the leading cause of governmental dysfunction – civic damage that can be extremely expensive to repair.

Most important – in public service, moral courage is defined as the mental and ethical strength that sees us through challenges and ensures we do the right thing – despite the potential personal or political cost.

Lead by personal example as you make the tough decisions that impact the lives and livelihoods of those you serve. 

Find that moral courage – hold firm to your sacred oath of office and core values – and take pride in the fact your neighbors have put their confidence in your ability to lead, to work collaboratively, and your vision for our collective future.

Lastly, remain humble, never lose sight of the impermanence of power and position.

“All glory is fleeting…”

That’s all for me.  Enjoy a great weekend, y’all!